After a miserable debut season at Liverpool, the 26-year-old is set to depart the club. He has yet to play a single minute of competitive football for the Reds since his January 2021 transfer. Ben Davies will join Rangers for £4 million after failing to make a single competitive appearance for Liverpool, according to reports.
The 25-year-old, signed from Preston in January 2021, spent last season on loan at Sheffield United in the Championship and will now sign a contract with Scotland after completing his medical and agreeing to personal terms.
Ben Davies will become Rangers’ sixth signing of the summer transfer window, with the club already having brought in Ianis Hagi, Kemar Roofe, Jon McLaughlin, Calvin Bassey, and Leon Balogun.
The former England Under-21 international will provide competition for first-choice center-backs Connor Goldson and Nikola Katic, while also giving manager Steven Gerrard another option at left-back.
Ben Davies made 31 appearances for Sheffield United last season as the Blades narrowly missed out on promotion to the Premier League, and he will now hope to play a key role in Rangers’ push for silverware in 2020-21.
The Scottish giants are currently preparing for their opening Europa League qualifier against Lincoln Red Imps on Thursday, before beginning their Scottish Premiership campaign away to Aberdeen on August 1.
Rangers will pay an initial fee of £3m for Davies, with a further £1m due in potential add-ons, and the defender is set to sign a three-year contract at Ibrox.
Ben Davies is the latest player to leave Liverpool this summer, with Harvey Elliott and Ki-Jana However having both completed moves to Fulham earlier this week.
The Reds are also expected to offload Loris Karius, Harry Wilson, and Marko Grujic before the start of the new season, while loan deals for Sheyi Ojo and Harry Wilson are also likely to be finalized in the coming weeks.
What does the transfer agreement look like?
It is anticipated that Rangers will pay Liverpool a fixed sum of about £3m for Davies, with an additional £1m available in performance-based add-ons.
On top of everything else, the lack of a transfer fee means that there is money to spend on new players or build a squad better than any other club in Wales.
Davies will become Rangers’ second major signing of the January transfer window following the arrival of striker Kemar Roofe from Anderlecht. And he could make his debut for the Scottish Premiership leaders as early as Sunday when they travel to face Ross County.
What has been said about Davies’ move to Rangers?
Speaking to Rangers TV, manager Steven Gerrard said: “I’m delighted to welcome Ben Davies to the club.
“He’s a young player who has already had a fantastic career and he’s still only 25 years of age. He will complement the squad really well and he’s someone who can play a number of different positions, which is important. He gives us real quality and competition in an area of the pitch where we needed it. I think he’s a fantastic signing for the club.”
Meanwhile, Davies himself told Rangers TV: “I spoke to the manager and he sold me on the vision of where he wants to take this club. “I want to be part of something special here and I’m really looking forward to getting started.”
What has been Davies’s career so far?
Davies began his career with Preston North End, making his professional debut in 2011. He spent two years with the club before joining Swansea City in 2013.
Davies established himself as a regular for the Welsh side and was part of the team that won the League Cup in 2013. Then in January 2018, Davies joined Liverpool on a free transfer after his contract with Swansea expired.
He made just two appearances for the Reds, both in the League Cup, before joining Championship side Preston North End on loan in January 2019.
Davies spent the rest of the 2018/19 season with Preston, making 27 appearances, and he returned to the club on loan for the first half of the 2019/20 campaign.
In total, Davies has made 192 appearances in all competitions during his career, scoring seven goals. He has also been capped four times by Wales.
How was Davies performing at Liverpool?
When Liverpool acquired Davies from Preston in January 2021, many people thought it was a somewhat unexpected acquisition.
The Reds turned to him in the final days of the transfer window, with Joel Matip having joined Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez on the lengthy-term casualty list.
Davies slotted straight into the first team and ended up making 12 appearances for the club in all competitions.
He was a solid presence at the back, although he didn’t manage to prevent Liverpool from slipping down the table and finishing seventh.
However, Davies never played a competitive game for Liverpool, being injured after signing and subsequently seeing substitutes such as Nat Phillips, Rhys Williams, and Ozan Kabak take the field.
He went on loan to Sheffield United in August 2021, making eight appearances for the Blades and scoring one goal. He made 23 appearances for Sheffield United, scoring once as the team advanced to the semi-finals of the Championship play-offs.
What will Ben Davies bring to Rangers?
The Scottish champions will be hoping that Davies can provide some much-needed stability at the back.
Rangers conceded 43 goals in 38 Scottish Premiership games last season, which was only bettered by bottom side Hamilton (45).
Davies is a left-footed center-back, who is comfortable in possession and has a good range of passing.
He is also a good reader of the game and is adept at making last-ditch tackles and interceptions.
At 25 years of age, Davies still has his best years ahead of him and Rangers will be hoping that he can develop into a key player for the team.
Who else could leave Liverpool before the end of the transfer window?
Here are some of the players who could leave Liverpool before the window closes:
Daniel Sturridge
Sturridge has been linked with a move to Inter Milan, but it remains to be seen if any club will be willing to take a chance on him given his long history of injuries.
Divock Origi
Origi is a talented player, but with Roberto Firmino established as the first-choice striker, it seems unlikely that he will get much playing time at Liverpool.
Loris Karius
Karius is a talented goalkeeper, but with Simon Mignolet also ahead of him in the pecking order, it is unlikely that he will get much playing time this season.
Nathaniel Clyne
The England international has been plagued by injuries over the past few years, and with Trent Alexander-Arnold established as the first-choice right-back, it seems unlikely that Clyne will get much playing time this season. Clyne has been linked with a move to Crystal Palace, and it is thought that he could leave Liverpool before the end of the transfer window.
Marko Grujic
The Serbian midfielder has been out on loan for the past two seasons, and it is thought that he could be sold this summer in order to fund other transfers. Grujic is a talented player, but with Liverpool’s midfield being so crowded, it is unlikely that he will get much playing time if he stays at the club.
Sheyi Ojo
The young winger has been out on loan for the past two seasons, and it seems likely that he will be sold this summer in order to fund other transfers. Ojo is a talented player, but with Liverpool’s wingers being so crowded, it is unlikely that he will get much playing time if he stays at the club.
Harry Wilson
The young Welsh winger has been impressing on loan at Derby County, and it is thought that he could be sold this summer in order to fund other transfers. Wilson is a talented player, but with Liverpool’s wingers being so crowded, it is unlikely that he will get much playing time if he stays at the club.
Ryan Kent
These are just some of the players who could leave Liverpool before the end of the transfer window. With the club being so active in the market, there could be more players on the move before the end of August.
Conclusion
Former Liverpool defender and current BBC pundit Mark Lawrenson believes that Davies is a good signing for Rangers.
“I think he’s a really good signing,” Lawrenson told BBC Scotland.
“I think he’s got all the attributes to do well in Scotland. He’s quick, he’s athletic, and he can play left-sided or right-sided.
“He did really well when he came in and played for Liverpool, even though they were struggling at the time. I think he’s a very, very good signing.”
Former Rangers striker Kris Boyd is also a fan of Davies and believes that he will be a key player for the team.
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