Rangers defender Ben Davies claims he was never looking to leave Ibrox this summer after earning his first start of the season v St Johnstone.
The Gers were believed to have pulled off something of a coup by signing the centre-back from Liverpool last summer in a reported £3m rising to £4m deal.
But injuries have disrupted Ben Davies’ start to life at Rangers with the game against St Johnstone the defender’s first start, and appearance, of the entire season to date.
Ben Davies hopes to build on St Johnstone
Linked with a loan exit to Stoke City as the deadline approached, there were claims that Davies wanted to stand his ground at Rangers this season.
And those have now been confirmed by the player himself who has claimed he was never looking to quit Ibrox this summer.
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“I don’t think so [ever considered moving back to England],” Davies said.
“I’m not sure what was said about me but as far as I was concerned I was a Rangers player and I wasn’t looking to move.
“My priority over the summer was getting fit and getting back in the team, which I did up in Perth.
“The manager said I was an important part of what he was looking to do going forward. So I took that in and made sure I went and got myself fit. He’s played me at the weekend, so…
“The manager has shown a lot of faith in me since he’s been here. It’s time I repaid that and put some good performances in.”
Speaking after the St Johnstone win, this was Ben Davies’ first start since a league clash with Aberdeen in late-April.
In the last campaign, Ben Davies might’ve played 38 teams but with the league campaign all but surrendered by the time the centre-back got playing regularly, the contribution has not been great enough for the Ibrox support.
With doubts surrounding the defender’s commitment to the cause, it’ll be refreshing to Rangers fans to read these comments.
As Ben Davies returns to the starting line up v St Johnstone, there is hope the centre-back can go on and have the kind of impact at Rangers which reflects the substantial outlay spent to bring him to the club.