EFL Championship clubs Blackburn Rovers, Burnley and Stoke City are all eyeing a summer swoop for Liverpool’s forgotten defender Ben Davies.
According to The Sun, forgotten Liverpool defender, Ben Davies is the subject of a transfer war this summer, with Vincent Kompany’s Burnley joining fellow EFL Championship clubs Blackburn Rovers and Stoke City in the chase.
A Preston North End academy product, Davies was signed by Liverpool in January 2021. He was one of two players they signed on the deadline day of the winter transfer window that season as part of an emergency contingency plan to ease their injury woes in defence.
However, the 26-year-old defender’s switch has not gone as planned. With Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez, and Joel Matip firmly back in the fold last summer, Davies dropped down the pecking order without ever kicking a ball for Liverpool.
The centre-back is yet to make his senior debut for the Reds, and after being left out of the club’s pre-season Asia tour, it is unlikely he ever will. Davies spent last season on loan at Sheffield United, where he endured a mixed spell as the manager who signed him, Slavisa Jokanovic, was sacked. And he was in and out of matchday squads as the Blades succumbed in the play-offs.
In total, Davies made 22 appearances for the Blades. And despite his inconsistency, it seems the Liverpool defender has done enough to garner attention from several clubs in the second-tier, while there were some faint rumours of Scottish Premiership side Rangers being interested in securing his services as well.
A price tag of £4 million has been slapped on Davies’ head by Liverpool, but this would likely be driven by add-ons and bonuses, with the Reds already recouping more than the initial £500,000 paid to sign him thanks to the loan payments from Sheffield United. However, the player’s relatively high wages could yet pose a hindrance for the Championship trio.
Blackburn Rovers, for one, are pushing incredibly hard to bring the Liverpool defender to Ewood Park. Jon Dahl Tomasson has identified central defence and midfield as priority areas to bolster his squad and even admitted Davies is ‘a very good player’ when questioned about the Liverpool defender’s links to the Riversiders.
Stoke City are also credited with an interest in the 26-year-old. The Potters coach Michael O’Neill is hardly short of options at centre-back, having already added Aden Flint and Harry Clarke to his roster this summer. In addition, Phil Jagielka has signed a new short-term deal, with Harry Souttar also an option ahead of the new Championship season.
But with O’Neill preferring a back-three system, they could do well by acquiring Davies from Liverpool. Another contender, though, could be Burnley, who are undergoing a major overhaul following their relegation from the Premier League. The centre-back department has suffered some major damage as a result, with James Tarkowski, Ben Mee, and Nathan Collins all leaving the club for greener pastures.
New manager Vincent Kompany has done well by bringing the likes of Taylor Harwood-Bellis and CJ Egan-Riley through the door thanks to his Manchester City connections. But more proven options are required if the Clarets are planning to bounce back at the first time of asking. Davies would be an excellent acquisition in that regard, with his stand-out ball-playing ability and competent physical attributes.
However, the Championship trio are likely to miss out Davies as latest reports indicate that Rangers have agreed a £4 million deal to sign Davies from Liverpool.
