MX23RW : Wednesday, December 18 06:18:53| >> :120:13183:13183:

Deadline Day: Liverpool busiest as they bolster injury-ravaged backline

Ben Davies and Ozan Kabak arrived at Anfield as Joel Matip became the third centre-back ruled out for the season.

Liverpool bolstered their defensive ranks on transfer deadline day by signing Ben Davies on a permanent deal from Preston and Ozan Kabak on loan until the end of the season from Schalke.

Injuries to Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip – also now out for the season – have left the Reds short of centre-back options, so much so that captain Jordan Henderson has been deployed there, but the arrivals of Davies and Kabak ease the shortage.

Davies has put pen to paper on a "long-term contract" after signing for an initial fee the PA news agency understands is £500,000, plus structured add-ons.

The Premier League champions have paid an initial £1million loan fee for Kabak, capped seven times by Turkey, with the option to buy for £18m at the end of the season.

Kabak, 20, completed the formalities of the switch in Germany and will travel to Merseyside this week. He arrives at Anfield after two years in the Bundesliga, where he represented Stuttgart before joining Schalke in July 2019.

One outgoing at Anfield could be Takumi Minamino to Southampton, the PA news agency understands.

Saints had been looking at a full-back on Monday but turned their attention to the attack before the 11pm deadline. The move would free up Shane Long to join Bournemouth.

Schalke, meanwhile, may have seen Kabak depart but they captured Shkodran Mustafi from Arsenal in a permanent transfer. The Bundesliga side say the 2014 World Cup winner has signed a deal until the end of the season.

West Brom completed the deadline-day loan signing of Okay Yokuslu from Celta Vigo and also agreed to take England international Ainsley Maitland-Niles on loan from Arsenal for the rest of the season.

Yokuslu's arrival follows those of Mbaye Diagne, who moved on loan from Galatasaray, and Robert Snodgrass.

There will be no incomings to boost Manchester United's Premier League title bid but teenager Teden Mengi will spend the rest of the season playing under Wayne Rooney at Derby.

PA understands Chelsea have chosen not to send Billy Gilmour out on loan. New Blues manager Thomas Tuchel wants the teen star to stay at Stamford Bridge.

Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson, meanwhile, poured cold water on talk Patrick Van Aanholt and Christian Benteke could leave the club.

Glenn Murray is looking forward to working with former Brighton boss Chris Hughton again after he completed a permanent move to Nottingham Forest.

The 37-year-old spent the first half of the campaign on loan at Watford, but was recalled by the Seagulls and allowed to bring his long association with the Premier League club to an end.

West Ham defender Winston Reid joined Brentford on loan until the end of the season.

The 32-year-old New Zealand international spent the first half of the season on loan with MLS side Sporting Kansas City after recovering from a serious knee injury sustained in March 2018.

Galatasaray completed the signing of United States defender DeAndre Yedlin from Newcastle, who have been linked with a loan move for Leicester's Hamza Choudhury and Arsenal's Joe Willock among others.

The success or otherwise of their search for midfield reinforcements could have an impact on Matt Ritchie's proposed return to Bournemouth.

Tottenham goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga joined Elche on loan for the rest of the season.

The Argentinian has not featured for Spurs this season, falling behind Joe Hart in the pecking order as understudy to number one and club captain Hugo Lloris.

Another keeper, Jonas Lossl, left Everton to return to Danish side Midtjylland, his first professional club.

Winston Reid has joined Brentford on loan
Winston Reid has joined Brentford on loan (Adam Davy/PA)

The 32-year-old did not make a first-team appearance for Carlo Ancelotti's side following his move from Huddersfield in 2019.

The Toffees later confirmed young right-back Jonjoe Kenny will join Celtic on loan until the end of the campaign.

Norwich completed the signing of former Aston Villa goalkeeper Orjan Nyland on a short-term deal until the end of the season.

Birmingham signed teenage forward Keyendrah Simmonds from Manchester City, while Blackburn signed left-back Harry Pickering from Crewe for an undisclosed fee.

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Bordeaux forward Josh Maja pictured against Marseille in December 2019
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool15113131131836
2Chelsea16104237191834
3Arsenal1686229151430
4Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest168442119228
5Manchester CityMan City168352823527
6Bournemouth167452421325
7Aston Villa167452425-125
8Fulham166642422224
9Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton166642625124
10Tottenham HotspurSpurs1672736191723
11Brentford167273230223
12Newcastle UnitedNewcastle166552321223
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd166462119222
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham165472129-819
15Crystal Palace163761721-416
16Everton153661421-715
17Leicester CityLeicester163582134-1314
18Ipswich TownIpswich162681628-1212
19Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1623112440-169
20Southampton1612131136-255


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