Danny Ings could be set for a fairytale return to Southampton, after leaving the club three seasons ago for Aston Villa – with reports suggesting that the former England star is on his way out of West Ham United and moving back to the south coast.
Ings joined West Ham 18 months ago in a move from Aston Villa, but he’s largely failed to crack the code in the capital and after a dismal season under David Moyes, the striker needs a move to kick start his career again. And, according to the Sunday People, the Saints are closing in on a deal to take Ings back to the south coast after a poor 18 months at the London Stadium.
Reports: Danny Ings Set For Southampton Move
The striker has struggled in recent seasons
The newspaper report states that the Hammers are prepared to let Ings go, with the striker making just 20 appearances and scoring one goal all season, with an equaliser against Burnley in March his only strike in all competitions throughout the campaign.
Russell Martin wants to bring the striker back, although the two clubs are haggling over the structure of a deal that will see the Saints pay around £6million to bring Ings back to the city where he grew up.
| Danny Ings’ Premier League statistics, 2023/24 – West Ham squad ranking | ||
|---|---|---|
| Stats | Output | Squad rank |
| Appearances | 20 | 13th |
| Goals | 1 | 8th |
| Key Passes Per Game | 0.3 | =12th |
| Shots Per Game | 0.6 | =9th |
| Match rating | 6.19 | 20th |
Southampton earned promotion from the Championship at the first time of asking with Adam Armstrong and Che Adams as their two main strikers, but the latter is set to depart after snubbing a new contract at St. Mary’s – and that looks set to see Ings come in for a return to Southampton, where he blossomed in the Premier League prior to his big-money move to Aston Villa in 2021.
Ings scored an incredible 46 goals in 100 games for the Saints during his time at the club, including a 22-goal Premier League season back in 2019/20 as the club finished a mere seven points off a European spot – but his exit coincided with their drop-off in results and as such, they suffered a first relegation in 11 years.
Southampton are Perfect Club For Ings
First-team football could be guaranteed at St. Mary’s
The Irons do need a new starting striker to come in and challenge Michail Antonio for game time – and if they were to have brought a talisman in prior to Ings’ imminent sale, it would have left the former Liverpool man as the third-choice at the London Stadium.
Ings is a striker with Premier League pedigree, having scored 71 goals in the top-flight throughout his career, and a hatful of strong seasons could even see him reach the 100 club, should he keep his fitness levels up whilst being a first-choice striker.
GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Ings’ 22-goal season was bettered only by Jamie Vardy, who scored 23 to edge ahead.
Southampton could be the best club for him to join. The Saints know that Ings has turned up for them in the past, and some experience in their front line could be needed and Ings would offer that in abundance.
Fans will be aware of the battle to stay up having seen the three promoted teams last year fail miserably in their attempts to survive in the Premier League, and Ings’ experience could make the difference in key moments – especially with Russell Martin’s young side needing a guiding hand through tough spells.
