Grimsby Town boss Michael Jolley is starting his January sales shopping early with the capture of Swedish left-back Sebastian Ring.

Reports in Sweden confirm that the 23-year-old defender has been in North East Lincolnshire this week to complete an 18-month deal to join the Mariners.

The Grimsby Telegraph speculated that Ring could be on Jolley’s wanted list earlier this month but now SportsExpressen in Sweden has confirmed that the Orebro SK star is on his way to Blundell Park.

With Paul Dixon having already departed the club during the season and current first-choice left-back Andrew Fox set to leave Blundell Park to return to America by the end of the January transfer window, the left side of defence has been one of Jolley’s top priorities in the market.

Ring will arrive at Blundell Park in January having played 82 times for hometown club Orebro and has turned down a three-year deal with the Allsvenskan club to make the move to England.

The 23-year-old originally started out his career as a central midfielder with local side Adolfsbergs IK, but he was quickly converted to a left-sided defender, where he excelled.

He signed a two-year deal with Orebro SK before the 2013 season and then went on loan to BK Forward, where he played 33 times for the Division One club.

Those performances were enough to earn the defender a senior contract with Orebro, which he signed in January 2015.

Ring’s senior debut for Orebro came in a cup victory over BKV Norrtalje and he has been a regular starter for his club in the previous two seasons.

[VIDEO | Ring scoring for Orebro against Falkenberg]