Kwesi Mugisa, Staff Reporter

Davis - File

JAMAICA INTERNATIONAL Claude Davis appears to be set to escape the English Premier League relegation trap following the announcement of a potential four-year £3 million deal with EPL returnees Derby County.

"A £3 million deal has been agreed with the strapping centre-half's club Sheffield United to make him the third signing of the closed season," was the information posted on Derby's official website.

"Subject to a medical and successful work permit application, the Jamaica international will sign a four-year contract with the Rams," it continued.

Davis will make the move away from Sheffield United, a team which signed the Reggae Boy for a club record identical sum last season, but plunged back to the Championship division on the final day of the season.

Sheffield, who also signed Jamaican striker Luton Shelton from Swedish club Helsingborg, recently lost an appeal to stay in the top flight following their case against West Ham being thrown out by an appeal committee.

The Blades had proposed that West Ham, who finished three points above them, be docked points instead of receiving a £5 million fine for their illegal acquisition of the Argentinean duo of Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano.

Knee injury

Davis, who is expected to figure prominently for the national team during the World Cup qualifiers next year, managed only 18 starts for Sheffield United last season after picking up a knee injury early in the season.

The 28-year-old joined Sheffield in the 2005-06 season after being voted Preston North End's player of the year the previous season.

If the transfer is approved, Davis would be one of three Reggae Boyz plying their trade in the Premiership.

Ricardo Gardner is at Bolton while Jason Euell represents Middlesbrough.

Derby County was the club of former Reggae Boy Deon Burton.