Ben Davies in action against Birmingham City (Getty Images)
According to the Daily Mail, Leicester City are interested in signing Preston North End defender Ben Davies, amid speculations surrounding the future of Jonny Evans. Foxes manager Brendan Rodgers is keen on improving his defensive options, as per the report, with the 25-year-old Davies emerging as a transfer target.
Davies started out at the academy of Furness Rovers before linking up with the Preston North End academy since 2007. The defender grew through the ranks rapidly and signed his first professional deal with the club in 2013.
However, he had to wait until 2017 to make a breakthrough in the senior side. In between, he had loan spells away at York City, Tranmere Rovers, Southport, Newport County and Fleetwood Town. Since breaking into the Preston first-team, Davies has racked up 126 appearances, scoring and assisting two goals apiece.
Leicester enjoyed a fine 2019/20 campaign, even though a dip in form towards the end meant they missed out on UCL qualification. Nevertheless, they were one of the better defensive units in the league, conceding just 41 goals in 38 matches – the sixth-best defensive record in the competition.
Jonny Evans and Caglar Soyuncu were the preferred choices at the heart of the defence for Rodgers. However, both the defenders are facing uncertain futures at the club. Evans is in the final year of his contract and could leave, while Soyuncu is attracting interest from Barcelona.
Apart from the duo, Leicester can call upon captain Wes Morgan, but he is 36 years old and cannot be relied upon on a weekly basis.
Even though Filip Benkovic has returned from his loan spell at Bristol City, the Foxes could end up being light on numbers at the heart of the defence. And given Morgan’s age, they need to sign a long-term replacement for him.
And this is where Davies enters the picture. While the 25-year-old has spent the majority of his career in the Championship, he has been a solid customer for Preston. In the season gone by, the Englishman featured in 36 of 46 league outings, helping the team to six clean sheets. (h/t Transfermarkt)
Signing him would bolster Leicester City’s depth in the centre-back department. In addition, he can also provide cover in the left-back slot, a position where he started his career in. And at 25, the Preston academy man still has his best years ahead of him, meaning the Foxes would be able to enjoy his peak at the King Power Stadium.
With Morgan not getting any younger and question marks surrounding the future of Evans, Leicester must recruit a new centre-back this summer. And signing Davies would provide them with adequate depth at the heart of the defence. The 25-year-old can also be used at left-back, which would only add more options to the manager’s arsenal.
