Report: Celtic-linked Ben Davies offered significant new deal at Preston as January looms

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Reported Celtic target Ben Davies has been offered a “significant” new contract by Preston North End, according to the Lancashire Post.

The Sun reported over the summer that Davies was likely to sign for Celtic on a pre-contract deal in January. However, Preston boss Alex Neil has consistently been stubborn in letting his centre-back depart (Lancs Live).

Davies can talk to other clubs in as little as 45 days, with Celtic potentially having some gaps to fill at the back over the course of next summer.

But the Lancashire Post claims that the offer Davies has received from Preston is significantly better than his current deal. The source also says that Preston have always viewed Davies as one of the most difficult players in the squad to tie down for the long-term.

Celtic will likely be watching closely as we slowly creep up on the January transfer window.

Massive question marks over Celtic centre-backs’ futures

Celtic could have a bit of a clean-up job to do in the centre-back positions when the 2020/21 season is over.

Kristoffer Ajer will then be into the final year of his contract, leaving the Hoops with only one real chance to do a decent deal and get money in the door for him. That is, of course, so long as he doesn’t sign a new contract – and there’s no indication that’s in the pipeline either.

As well as the Norwegian, you also have Shane Duffy who’s due to head back to Brighton. Unless he improves tenfold over the coming months, you can’t see Celtic wanting him back permanently.

That would leave us with only Nir Bitton, Hatem Elhamed, and Christopher Jullien as experienced centre-back options respectively. Stephen Welsh would also be there if Lennon chose to go with youth. Celtic would need to add to that pool, and that’s what would make Davies an attractive candidate given he’s worked his way up from the National League to feature regularly at Championship level.

It’s also worth remembering that he wasn’t short of Premier League interest in the summer either. West Ham had reportedly made him one of their top targets before capturing Craig Dawson from Watford (Sunday Mirror print edition, 11/10, page 73).

So it’s a race against time for Preston if they want to secure one of their most highly-valued assets. Considering they currently sit 14th in the Championship after their opening 11 games, promotion hardly looks on the cards for them once again.

In other news, the Celtic supporters have been sending one of the club’s superstars a firm message on social media.