What could have been for Sheffield United as Rangers near £4m move for Liverpool man

Davies spent last season on loan at Bramall Lane from the Premier League giants and played 23 times in a campaign disrupted by injury, illness and personal issues.

Liverpool were open to letting the centre-half leave this summer after paying an initial fee thought to be in the region of £500,000 to sign him from Preston North End last January. The deal with United’s Championship rivals included a number of add-ons, including a sell-on clause of around 20 per cent of any profit.

UK heat wave sees kick off time altered for United’s latest friendly

After his loan spell last season United were naturally linked with a permanent move for Davies, but elected to pursue other targets – possibly explained by the size of the fee Rangers are seemingly prepared to pay for the 26-year-old, who will also have received an increase in salary after joining the former Premier League giants.

United paid a loan fee of around £500,000 for Davies last season, which would have doubled if they were successful in winning promotion to the Premier League – meaning the defender, ironically, cost more to loan for a season than he could have been purchased for in 2021 when United, then struggling in the top flight, first tried to bring him to Bramall Lane.

How each of United's players rated in Scunthorpe friendly defeat

Sky report that Rangers’ Davies deal is worth around £3m up front, with the rest due in add-ons. The Glasgow giants identified Davies as a target after agreeing to sell Calvin Bassey to Ajax, in a deal worth as much as £23m with add-ons.

While you're here, please consider taking out a subscription to our new discounted sports-only package. You'll find all the details HERE. Your support is much appreciated. Chris Holt, Football Editor