Liverpool land defensive reinforcements with Ben Davies and Ozan Kabak signings

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

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 Davies, 25, 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 add-ons, while Liverpool have paid a £1million loan fee for Kabak.

It is believed the Premier League champions have the option to buy the 20-year-old, capped seven times by Turkey, 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.

Three more moves were announced just after 1am following the filing of deal sheets ahead of the deadline.

Liverpool forward Takumi Minamino joined Southampton on loan until the end of the season, with Saints manager Ralph Hasenhuttl telling the club’s website the 26-year-old “will help provide another good attacking option, and is importantly the right profile of player for us”.

The Japan international replaced Shane Long at St Mary’s, while the Irishman’s arrival at Bournemouth paved the way for Josh King to return to the Premier League with Everton.

The Norway international has signed a contract until the end of the season and moved for what the Toffees described as “a nominal fee”.

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 have completed the deadline day loan signings of England international Ainsley Maitland-Niles from Arsenal and Turkey midfielder Okay Yokuslu from Celta Vigo.

The pair have moved to the Hawthorns for the rest of the season to aid the Baggies’ battle against relegation from the Premier League, with the club 19th in the table ahead of Tuesday’s trip to rock-bottom Sheffield United.

Fellow strugglers Fulham have strengthened their forward options in a bid to retain their top-flight spot, signing Bordeaux striker Josh Maja on a loan deal for the rest of the season.

Maja spent time in Fulham’s youth set-up before leaving for Sunderland in 2015 and then Bordeaux four years later. The 22-year-old’s return to Craven Cottage includes an option for the deal to be made permanent.

There were 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.

Galatasaray completed the signing of United States defender DeAndre Yedlin from Newcastle, who signed Arsenal midfielder Joe Willock on a loan deal until the end of the season.

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.

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.

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.