Liverpool swoop for Ben Davies also solves Virgil Van Dijk squad registration dilemma in potential masterstroke as Reds work on cut-price £2m transfer

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With it now reported that Liverpool are in talks to sign Ben Davies from Preston North End, should the ace end up the much-needed centre-back recruit for the Reds it would also solve another dilemma.

Liverpool are massively in need of at least one centre-back given Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez are out with long-term knee injuries, as well as Joel Matip unfortunately suffering from his injury-proneness at a nightmare time, with Davies an option now being explored in a £2m deal.

The reported fee that the 25-year-old would command is relatively low as a result of the fact that Davies is in the final six months of his contract.

Now, onto the other important issue, as Davies is an Englishman raised through the ranks of Preston’s academy, the 6ft1 ace also carries the extremely important Home-Grown status.

Jurgen Klopp’s official 25-man squad list is currently one man short, as Virgil van Dijk was removed following his heartbreaking injury.

With a centre-back needed right now, and a spot needing to be reserved for the Dutchman should he make a remarkable return to action during this campaign, the Reds were in a tricky position.

The benefit of signing a home-grown player like Davies is mammoth, as he can take the spot of unused attacker Joe Hardy instead of the Reds either leaving out Van Dijk for a non-HG central defender or even being forced to cut an out-of-favour player fitting this bill like Adrian, for example, from their list.

A swoop for Davies, who may well leave Celtic heartbroken as they were nearing a pre-contract agreement should a move to Anfield be sealed, could also free up a spot for another centre-back.

On the proviso that Davies would come in and take a spot off someone like Hardy, alongside Van Dijk being re-registered, cutting someone like Adrian – who is now No.3 following Caoimhin Kelleher’s emergence and out of contract this summer, could actually free up a spot for a non-homegrown recruit.

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