Ben Davies: Liverpool agree £2m fee for Preston centre-back

Champions are close to adding a defender to diminish the effect of their injury crisis

(Getty Images)

Liverpool have agreed a £2 million fee with  Preston North End for Ben Davies to help remedy their centre-back crisis, with his medical pencilled in for Monday morning.

The 25-year-old, who Celtic had been hoping to sign ahead of the transfer deadline, was among a number of candidates assessed by the Premier League champions for a last-ditch deal as Joel Matip joined Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez on the injury list.

The defender’s availability, affordability, age, ability in possession, recovery pace and added function as a left-back has marked him as a suitable quick fix to Liverpool’s problems in the heart of the rearguard.

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Sepp van den Berg, the young Dutch centre-back, will move in the opposite direction on loan.

Ben Davies has emerged as a target for Liverpool (Getty Images)

Davies’ contract with Preston expires at the end of the season and Burnley had also been keen on securing his services.

Liverpool were focused on their long-term targets for central defence, but the injury to Matip compounded by the absence of Fabinho, who has been used at the back, forced them into a late change of approach.