Preston North End defender Ben Davies is on the brink of completing an unlikely move to Premier League champions Liverpool, with a £1.6million fee said to have been agreed.
Davies, 25, had reportedly signed a pre-contract agreement with Celtic earlier in the month. Neil Lennon was expected to try and make that a permanent deal on today’s deadline day before Liverpool swooped in with an unexpected offer.
Now it looks like Davies will be linking up with Jurgen Klopp’s Reds as they vie to defend their Premier League title this season.
Speaking on the move, Sky Sports’ Mark McAdam told Sky Sports’ (08:20):
“Ben Davies was the subject of a £4m Bournemouth bid back in the summer that was rejected – Preston wanted £10m and there wasn’t a second bid. Several clubs were interested in him from the Championship – a couple of Premier League clubs too – but he decided to stay. The money wasn’t on the table, the club needed him.
“He’s been a rock at the back, he’s good in the air. He reads the game so well.
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“Everything about this deal makes sense for Liverpool. Even if he isn’t the player Liverpool want him or need him to be, is he going to leave them for less than £2m in the summer or in 18 months’ time? They’re going to make money on him and at 25, he’s still got so much footballing development ahead of him.
“What an opportunity for him.”
It could well prove to be one of the shock moves of this deadline day. Davies has been a rock for Preston having graduated trough the club’s youth academy, spending the past eight seasons at Deepdale.
He’s had loan spells within the Football League but in the last three-and-a-half seasons has established himself as one of the Championship’s best centre-backs, featuring 19 times in the league this time round.
With his move to Liverpool looking ever-more likely, Davies could well have a part to play in the rest of Liverpool’s season with Klopp having suffered from defensive injuries throughout.
A huge and exciting opportunity for Davies, and his move is all-but complete now, with a rumoured £2million move being widely reported.
