---
title: "Celtic: Hoops plotting January move for Championship defender Ben Davies"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/celtic-hoops-plotting-january-move-for-championship-defender-ben-davies/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Luke Seychell"
section: "Celtic News"
published: "2020-10-22T15:00:38Z"
modified: "2020-10-22T15:00:38Z"
---

# Celtic: Hoops plotting January move for Championship defender Ben Davies

**The summer transfer window only closed earlier this month. However, Celtic are already planning ahead and looking towards the transfer window in January.**

The Bhoys were keen on Championship defender Ben Davies, but no move came to fruition, and they now seem ready to make a move in January due to one key reason.

### Why have Celtic waited to make a move?

According to [Football Insider](https://www.footballinsider247.com/sources-celtic-work-on-signing-defender-as-8-figure-price-tag-crashes/), Celtic were put off by the £10 million price-tag that the [25 year-old](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/124204/Show/Ben-Davies) had on his head. However, with the player in the final year of his contract, they decided to wait in order to get him for a cheaper price.

His valuation is currently dropping by at least half if he does not extend his contract, as he can leave on a free next summer.

The media outlet believe the Hoops are eyeing the Preston defender as a potential Kristoffer Ajer replacement.

### Would this be a good signing for the Hoops?

Last term, the 25 year-old failed to stand out for the Lilywhites as he averaged only 0.9 tackles and 0.8 interceptions per game, via [WhoScored.](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/124204/Show/Ben-Davies)

He could be a good signing for the club, but definitely not if he is a Kristoffer Ajer replacement. With Ajer attracting interest from big sides in Europe like [AC Milan and Manchester City](https://sempremilan.com/reports-real-madrid-and-man-city-join-ac-milan-in-race-to-land-celtic-star), a Championship defender who hasn’t exactly set the world alight in England’s second tier would not be the best replacement, especially with the pressure of signing for a player who has left to join an elite European club.

He is [out of contract](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/ben-davies/profil/spieler/257097) at the end of this season though, so Celtic could make the swoop a bit less risky at least financially by signing him for cheap in January or on a free transfer next summer. Signing him for much less than the original summer asking price would be a brilliant move from Peter Lawwell and the club, as any profit earned from selling Ajer could be invested in another centre-half to take pressure off Davies, or in other parts of the squad.

***Hoops fans, have a look at our past articles discussing a possible Ajer move [here](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/celtic-transfer-rumours/celtic-kristoffer-ajer-remains-a-transfer-target-for-ac-milan/)!***