Liverpool are believed to be closing in on a deal to sign Preston North End defender Ben Davies according to The Athletic's James Pearce.

Davies is out-of-contract in the summer of 2021, and has previously been linked wi th a move to both AFC Bournemouth and Scottish giants Celtic.

But a move to either side failed to materialise for one reason or another, with Jurgen Klopp's side edging closer to a deal to sign the 25-year-old on Deadline Day.

Davies has been with Preston since coming through the club's academy system, and has gone on to make 145 appearances in total for the Lancashire-based side in his time with the club.

It is claimed by Pearce that a deal will be worth £2million, and that young Liverpool defender Sepp Van den Berg will be heading to Preston on loan for the remainder of the season, as North End look to challenge for promotion.

Alex Neil's side are currently sat 11th in the Championship table, and are six points adrift of sixth-placed AFC Bournemouth after 27 matches this term.

Liverpool have been suffering from an injury crisis in recent months, particularly in defence, which is an issue that Jurgen Klopp was keen to address before the winter transfer window reached a conclusion.

Joel Matip was the latest player to join the injury list, after being forced off at half-time in their recent match against Tottenham Hotspur.

He joins the likes of Virgil van Dijk and Fabinho in the treatment room, which has seen the Reds struggle for depth in their defence this season.

Liverpool are set to return to action on Wednesday evening, when they take on Brighton and Hove Albion, where the Reds will be hoping they can make it three wins in a row after a recent upturn in form.

Whereas Preston take on relegation-threatened Rotherham United in their next match, in what could potentially be a tricky test for Alex Neil's side at Deepdale.

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The Verdict: 

This could prove to be a smart bit of business by Liverpool. Davies is out-of-contract at the end of the 2020/21 season, so they'll be signing the defender for a cut-price fee this month.

He's impressed me whilst with Preston North End, and I think he'll be a solid addition to Jurgen Klopp's team as they look to address their lack of depth in the heart of their defence.

He's a player that will surely leave a sizeable void in their team for the remainder of this year's campaign, but it's good to see that they'll be signing Van den Berg on loan in return, as he's a player that'll have a point to prove in senior football.