Soccer-Liverpool sign Preston defender Davies

Liverpool bolstered their injury-hit defence by signing centre back Ben Davies from Championship (second-tier) club Preston North End on Monday.

British media reported that the Premier League champions would pay Preston around two million pounds ($2.74 million) for the 25-year-old, who arrives at Anfield on a long-term contract. "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," Davies in a statement https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/first-team/424460-liverpool-seal-signing-of-ben-davies-on-long-term-deal.

"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."

Liverpool are without centre backs Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez due to long-term injuries and were dealt another blow when Joel Matip was forced off with an ankle ligament injury in their 3-1 league win at Tottenham Hotspur last week. Manager Juergen Klopp has had to play midfielders Fabinho and Jordan Henderson in defence this season while also relying on young players to fill gaps at the back.

Liverpool fielded Henderson and 23-year-old Nathaniel Phillips as their centre back pairing in Sunday's 3-1 win at West Ham United that lifted them to third place. They have also been linked with a loan deal for Schalke 04's Turkey central defender Ozan Kabak ahead of Monday's transfer deadline at 2300 GMT.

($1 = 0.7290 pounds)

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