Davies heads to Sheffield Utd

Sheffield United boss Nigel Clough has finally succeeded in signing striker Steven Davies from Blackpool.

Ex-Derby forward Davies has joined the Blades on loan until the end of the season and his arrival has been met with delight by Clough, who failed with previous bids to sign the 27-year-old in the summer and in the January transfer window. "We know Steven's talents very well from our time together at Derby," he told the club's official website. "He is a proven Championship striker who will provide a contrast to what we already have in that area. It has been no secret that we've been trying to get in a striker and we hope he will provide firepower for the run in." Davies, who has scored five goals in 18 appearances for Blackpool this season to become their top scorer, fell out of favour under previous manager Jose Riga but featured more regularly under current Seasiders boss Lee Clark. The former Tranmere trainee joined Bristol City from Derby on a free transfer in August 2012 and after one season at Ashton Gate - where he scored 13 goals in 38 appearances - Davies joined Blackpool for £500,000 in July 2013. But Davies managed only three goals in 29 appearances in the previous campaign and was a peripheral figure this season under Riga, who was sacked in October. He had told Clark he was keen to move on and was left out of the squad to face Birmingham in midweek as a result. "He didn't look like he was enjoying his football, in terms of where he'd been when he first came back from injury and was scoring goals," Clark explained at his morning press conference. "He was unhappy and he asked about the possibility of moving on. This was the right thing to do for all parties, most importantly the right thing for Steven." Davies is expected to go straight into the Blades' squad for Saturday's home league game against Fleetwood.