Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph has been sharing some details on Celtic’s failed attempt to sign then-Preston North End defender Ben Davies ahead of Premier League side Liverpool.
This comes after Joseph recently made an appearance on The Celtic Exchange Podcast where he spoke about a number of different topics concerning the Hoops.
On the subject of Celtic’s pursuit of Davies in the previous January transfer window, and the fact that Joseph himself reported that the defender had signed a pre-contract to join the Bhoys in the summer before he ended up joining Liverpool, Joseph had this to say on the situation. (21.34)
He said: “It looked to be that the player had the contract. He’d agreed the pre-contract, but he hadn’t signed it that night. So, this is what we reported that he’d signed it because obviously we were told it was signed, and then it came out.
“Obviously, he’s slept on it and, not that he wasn’t going to say now I think he’s just genuinely not signed it and submitted it and the next morning he’s woken up and other clubs in England are after him and it materialised that Liverpool were the ones who were strong and ended up as Neil Lennon put it gazumping Celtic.
“So, he had agreed, we were wrong with our wording that he’d signed it, but it wasn’t like we were jumping the gun on that, we were told that it was done so that was our understanding.”
Liverpool signed Davies on a long-term contract from Preston towards the end of the previous January transfer window.
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TIF Thoughts on Anthony Joseph’s comments on Celtic’s failed attempt to sign Davies…
Given how Celtic have conceded 23 goals in the SPFL so far this season compared to Rangers’ nine conceded goals, perhaps adding Davies to their squad for next season would have been a good move for them to strengthen up their defensive line.
With Davies having yet to make an appearance for Jurgen Klopp’s side in any competition, it would seem that his move to the Merseyside club has yet to get going.