Stoke City’s loan bid for Rangers defender Ben Davies was a “non-starter” due to both parties being miles apart on wages.
According to club media partner Heart & Hand, the Championship side wanted to pay only 40% of the ex-Liverpool defender’s wages.
This would not allow Rangers the necessary space on the club’s wage bill to go and strike a deal for a replacement, presumably Leicester City’s Harry Souttar.
Taking to revamped social media platform X, Heart & Hand said:
“Davies loan bid from Stoke was for 40% of his wage, not enough to allow us to get a replacement. Non-starter.”
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Ben Davies to Stoke a “non-starter”
News of Stoke City’s bid for Ben Davies is the biggest story of a quiet Deadline Day for Rangers as the last 24 hours threatens to pass by with a whimper.
There has been much speculation surrounding the future of Ben Davies all summer long, Rangers having signed a £4m deal to sign the centre-back from Liverpool last season.
Injuries have been massively disruptive in the year that Ben Davies has been in Glasgow and fans have not completely taken to the once highly-rated ex-Preston defender.
Whilst there was much reporting around a potential exit, with Stoke the name most prominently mentioned around Ben Davies, there has been a suggestion the defender wants to fight for his place at Rangers.
The future of the Rangers centre-back was also said to be a key factor regarding the widely reported Ibrox interest in Harry Souttar at Leicester City.
“There’s interest in Ben Davies from Stoke but the player has pretty much stated all throughout the summer that he’s quite happy to stay at Rangers and fight for his place,” David Edgar said.
“So that will need to change really before anything can go on (Rangers’ interest in Harry Souttar).”
Rangers will now go into the season with Connor Goldson, John Souttar, Ben Davies and Leon Balogun as senior centre-back options.
Teenager Leon King is also set to stay at Rangers beyond the deadline despite widespread reporting around a loan move out of the club.