Danny Ings lined up for West Ham United transfer exit as Southampton eye old-boy signings
Danny Ings could leave West Ham this summer and rejoin former club Southampton, according to talkSPORT.
The outlet reported via their website on 29 May that the Irons striker is interesting the newly-promoted side, who confirmed their return to the Premier League with a 1-0 victory over Leeds United in the play off final at the weekend.
Russel Martin’s side are said to looking to move quickly to strengthen the squad, with Taylor Harwood-Bellis’ loan made permanent, and another former star in ex-Brighton man Adam Lallana is also potentially returning.
Ings has struggled during his year and a half at the London Stadium, scoring just four goals under David Moyes in 52 appearances, and has often been linked with an exit.
David Moyes man exit at West Ham as Julen Lopetegui arrives?
With Julen Lopetegui set to officially take over from the Scot on 1 July he is going to want to mould the squad in his image and it would surely be a surprise if he had major plans for Ings.
The Englishman has never really established himself at West Ham despite the club crying out for help in the goalscoring department so he would probably favour a move himself.
It was a very different Saints side that he was a part of previously, but a record of 46 goals in 100 games for the south coast club was far more successful than he has been in east London, or at previous club Aston Villa, so a reunion might make sense.
The 31-year-old is unlikely to command a major fee with just a year left on his contract but given his lack of an impact on the pitch any financial return would probably be of more use during the transfer window than keeping him in an unsettled situation with the Hammers.
Lopetegui’s arrival may finally herald a deal for long-linked Sevilla striker Youssef En-Nesyri, but with the options in attack already sparse and more departures on the cards in the coming months the new manager and Tim Steidten are surely going to need to make a number of acquisitions.
In other West Ham news, a senior Irons man wants out as a squad leader is put up for sale.
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