Liverpool Reportedly Agree £2M Fee to Sign Centre Half Ben Davies

Liverpool will bring in a centre half before the transfer window slams shut at 11PM GMT on Monday, and that centre half will be Preston North End’s Ben Davies, a player who will not have been on the radar of many Reds fans before now.

That it will be the 25-year-old Davies appears certain, with club connected journalists including The Telegraph’s Chris Bascombe saying a £2M fee has been agreed and Davies will arrive shortly—not on loan but in a permanent deal.

That in turn suggests the Reds see a potential role for Davies at the club beyond the current season, though whether the club project the Barrow-in-Furness native as a long-term depth option or perhaps a potential starter remains to be seen.

Davies has 19 starts this season for Preston, who sit mid-table in the Championship. He began his career with Preston’s youth team and has spent time on loan with York City, Tranmere, Southport, Newport, and Fleetwood Town.

The player’s statistics hint at a solid aerial defender. He should also be expected to be faster than current options like Nat Phillips and Rhys Williams, whose lack of pace has made it difficult for Liverpool to play the high line they prefer.

On the flip side, Davies has also had three hamstring injuries in the past 14 months, a worrying record for a club that hasn’t been able to keep any of its central defenders fit for more than two games in a row this season.