Glasgow Rangers boss Michael Beale could ruthlessly bin one of his senior squad members ahead of next season by unleashing talented academy graduate Leon King in 2023/24.
The Daily Record recently named Ben Davies as one of the players who could be on the chopping block as the club attempt to raise enough money for a rebuild in the summer transfer window, which would open the door for the youngster to take his place.
How has Ben Davies performed for Rangers?
He arrived from Liverpool for £4m at the start of the season but has not fully convinced over the course of the campaign as the ex-Preston man was exposed as a liability in Old Firm clashes.
Former Gers defender Kirk Broadfoot recently questioned whether Davies is "aggressive" enough to play at centre-back for the club and stated that "he can get rolled and bullied" by the opposition.
The English liability's defending against Celtic in April was also described as "so poor" by ex-Light Blues forward Kenny Miller, who was not impressed by the 27-year-old's weak clearance straight to Kyogo Furuhashi in the 3-2 defeat.
These comments from players who have played for the club and know what it takes to succeed at Ibrox, and in Old Firm games in particular, do not shine a positive light on Davies.
Beale could be better off cashing in on the former Liverpool man and unleashing teenage centre-back Leon King next season, as the potential payday from the experienced enforcer could allow the club to invest in other areas of the pitch whilst moving on from a player who has been a calamity in big games.
How has Leon King performed for Rangers?
Despite only turning 19 in January, King has already racked up 28 first-team appearances and only made one error leading to a shot or goal in the Scottish Premiership and Champions League combined to date - playing 12 times in the league this term.
He has averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.91 across his seven starts, with an overall score of 6.84 when factoring in substitute outings, in the top-flight, whilst Davies has averaged a score of 6.96.
This suggests that King is already capable of playing to a similar standard as the 27-year-old, which is why investing in the teenager's future by unleashing him next season could be a shrewd move by Beale.
The academy graduate, who was once hailed as a "big Rolls-Royce" by ex-Gers man Alan Hutton, is a player with potential and time to grow and develop over time and needs experience in order to take the next step in his career.
Therefore, making King a regular starter next season could allow him to thrive and progress as a centre-back for Rangers, whereas Davies - at 27 - does not have as much time on his hands to work on his flaws, given he should be in his prime right now.