Despite some Gers fans not necessarily being too happy with the news, Rangers have signed Ben Davies from Liverpool on a four-year deal. While the exact fee isn’t known, it is thought to involve an initial payment of £3m with £1m in add-ons.
After capturing Davies, Giovanni van Bronckhorst said:
“I would like to welcome Ben to our squad and I am delighted he has joined the club. He is a strong defender with great qualities and will further add to our options in that area.”
While his comments are positive – which should be enough for Rangers fans – there are many supporters wondering exactly who Ben Davies is and what exactly he’ll bring to van Bronckhorst’s side. Let’s assess the former Liverpool defender below and how his arrival could provide a positive impact for the Gers moving forward.
Davies has extensive experience in English football
It’s fair to say that Ben Davies’ career didn’t really take off until he returned from his loan spell at Fleetwood Town and managed to finally break into the side at Preston North End. Spells down the lower echelons of the football pyramid in England clearly served Davies well, perhaps mastering the no-nonsense basics of defending and the various dark arts of the game that tend to be deployed at that level. The likes of York City, Newport County and Fleetwood Town warmed to the Barrow-born defender as he fine-tuned his game at a lower level and gained the invaluable experience a loan move can provide to promising youngsters. His education in League Two and League One set him up for a solid spell at Preston North End where he was widely regarded as being a reliable competitor who rarely let the side down. After breaking into the side following his 2017 loan spell at Fleetwood, Davies was a mainstay in a Preston team that was competing against the odds in the Championship. Some shrewd recruitment and an accomplished array of managers has enabled Preston to survive and thrive in the highly competitive division, with the likes of Davies showcasing exactly why the club is so well run. Preston can spot a player and they’re excellent at nurturing talent. As such, Davies was evidently at the right club for his development.
Jurgen Klopp came calling
Not all of Jurgen Klopp’s signings have necessarily gone to plan, but his record in the transfer market is superb overall. The German boss has helped mould players that are instant picks on Premier League fantasy football and are influencing the World Cup odds when it comes to betting. The fact that the former Borussia Dortmund boss saw something in Ben Davies in order to sign him should provide Rangers fans with enough confidence. Although Davies failed to make a single appearance at Liverpool, he was signed as a backup. Given the clubs’ Premier League title ambitions, it’s a huge compliment that the charismatic German boss considered Davies to be an adequate replacement. Although he wasn’t needed in the end, Davies played 23 games on loan at Sheffield United last season and helped propel the Blades up the Championship table as soon as he arrived. Jurgen Klopp signs good players, but also good characters, and Davies ticks both boxes in that respect.