Rangers defender Ben Davies could leave the Ibrox Stadium amid interest from Championship outfit Stoke City, according to a report from Football Scotland.
Despite the Potters’ interest, they are believed to be intimidated by the 28-year-old’s wage demands – so much so, that they are also coy about taking the player on loan.
Due to this, a move from Rangers to Stoke for Davies seems to have hit a stalemate, as talks between the two clubs continue. Can a deal be struck – and moreover, will it benefit the Light Blues?
Can Rangers afford to lose Ben Davies?
The Gers currently have five centre-backs on their books (including Davies) – Leon Balogun, John Souttar, Connor Goldson and Leon King. As such, losing Davies would not be such a massive blow – but it could come back to bite them if they are struck by an injury crisis.
Davies has struggled for game time this season, with Michael Beale seeming to prefer a centre-back partnership of Goldson and Souttar. Despite this, following their 5-1 defeat against PSV (a game where both Goldson and Souttar were noticeable underperformers), it could open the door for Davies to re-enter the first team.
If Davies does not get a chance to impress in the first team after Wednesday night’s game, it poses a question – what will it take for Beale to give him the nod? If he is so unimpressed by him, it may be the best option for all parties if he is sold.
Could any other players leave on Transfer Deadline Day?
The 2023 summer transfer window has been an incredibly busy one for the Gers, with swathes of both incomings and outgoings. As such, there is no need for them to be particularly active on deadline day this year.
Nevertheless, this doesn’t mean that Davies is the only player that other clubs are interested in signing. There are rumours that Scott Wright could still depart the club, after a move away earlier in the window failed to materialise.
Additionally, Leon King could also be set for a loan move away from the club to an unidentified English club, as reported by Herald Scotland.
