Ben Davies joins Liverpool from Preston on long-term deal

Liverpool have confirmed the signing of Preston defender Ben Davies on a long-term contract, for a fee in the region of £2m.

News of the Reds' interest broke on Sunday and they quickly agreed a sum with the Championship outfit, adding Sepp van den Berg as a loan departee to sweeten the deal.

Liverpool have now confirmed the deal, with Davies taking the number 28 shirt.

Davies told the club's website upon joining: "I’m obviously delighted to be here.

“It’s a huge opportunity. Obviously it came as a bit of a surprise when it first came but once you start to get your head around it, the opportunity that is in front of me is incredible. I’d be silly to not make the most of it and learn off the players [at the club].

“I’ve never actually been to Anfield and I haven’t had a look around yet. I had a quick look out and had a look at the pitch and it looks like carpet, which obviously you’d expect.

“I haven’t actually walked out of the tunnel yet, so I’m looking forward to that. Just to be in this kind of atmosphere is brilliant.”

The Davies signing may not be Liverpool's only piece of business on deadline day. They have been linked with a number of other central defenders and Ozan Kabak is expected to be brought in on loan from Schalke.

Marseille's Duje Caleta-Car had been touted as one potential option, though the Ligue 1 side's struggles in finding a replacement have made a possible deal tricky.

The Premier League champions' struggles in central defence have been well documented this season.

Virgil van Dijk suffered an ACL injury in his right knee back in October and is expected to miss most of the season, while Joe Gomez and Joel Matip are also suffering with long term issues. Fabinho has suffered with knocks throughout the campaign, and recently Jordan Henderson has had to fill in at the back alongside Nat Phillips.

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