Davies' arrival will not mean Wanderers dump Sordell or Afobe
8:00am Saturday 5th January 2013 in Sport By Marc Iles
DOUGIE Freedman insists that Craig Davies’s impending arrival from Barnsley does not spell the end of the road for any of his existing strikeforce.
Wanderers are expected to complete a £300,000 deal for the Wales international soon but the manager has stamped out speculation that Marvin Sordell, David Ngog, Kevin Davies or on-loan Benik Afobe will suffer as a result.
“Goals are something you can always do with,” he said. “My idea is to have a few strikers on the bench. Goals change games and he (Davies) is another option for us.
“I am not desperate to get anyone out of the way. Adding him to the squad gives us a healthy number of players striker wise.
“We need to add to our attacking options, perhaps wider, but striker-wise we are sitting all right.”
Davies has nine goals to his name already this season at Oakwell and scored against Wanderers in November.
Freedman reckons the deal is only being held up over minor issues, but the Scot is delighted at the prospect of landing his man at the second attempt.
“I tried to sign him a couple of years ago but I missed out on him,” he said, having bid for Davies at Crystal Palace before his move to Barnsley. “I have always felt he has huge potential.
“He is starting to fulfill that. He is the kind of character I want around this place. Somebody who has not been there, someone who has not seen it and done it.
“I want someone who is hungry to get there and Craig fits the bill. It’s the right price and the right deal and we are working hard to get it done.”
Davies has turned out for 10 different professional clubs up and down the leagues but his most prolific spells have come for Chesterfield and Barnsley in the last three seasons.
His rich CV does not worry Freedman – who has tipped the striker to make an impact at the Reebok.
“Why he has had a lot of clubs could be for many different reasons,” he said. “I just think he is a good age and has done quite well in this division. I think he is a bargain.
“He is hungry, he wants to be here. He has not got the tee shirt.
“He fits where I want to take this club.”
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