Celtic manager Neil Lennon has revealed the extent of his frustration after missing out on transfer target Ben Davies to Liverpool.
Davies is putting the finishing touches on a transfer deadline day switch from Preston North End after the Premier League champions agreed a deal to take him to Anfield immediately.
Teenage Reds centre-back Sepp van den Berg will provide the Championship side with an instant replacement by moving to Deepdale on loan for the remainder of the season.
However, prior to Jurgen Klopp’s late interest in the 25-year-old, Davies had been on the verge of agreeing a pre-contract with Celtic ahead of joining the Glasgow giants this summer.
The Press Association quotes Lennon as saying: “It's a blow because we were very close to doing that (a deal for Davies) and obviously we got gazumped at the last minute by Liverpool.”
Liverpool lost both Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez to long-term injuries before the winter window opened but until this week, Klopp had admitted they were unlikely to bring in new players at centre-back.
However, subsequent fitness blows to Joel Matip and Fabinho have forced the club into a late change of policy before the deadline passes at 11pm on Monday.
