Danny Ings stance on West Ham United exit emerges as Southampton eye summer transfer
Danny Ings wants to fight for his place at West Ham United and is not close to returning to Southampton this summer, according to Sean Whetstone.
Reporting via the West Ham Football X account on Sunday (7 July) he revealed that the Saints had approached the Irons earlier in the transfer window, but the striker does not want to leave the London Stadium.
The Hammers were willing to subsidise the difference in wages to get the deal over the line, but Ings turned that offer down and is therefore not close to making a return to St Mary’s.
Reports from Sunday People (7 July, page 59) had suggested that Russell Martin’s side were close to agreeing a £6million deal to secure the 31-year-old’s signature, with the two clubs haggling over the structure of the transfer.
Will West Ham United sell Danny Ings amid Southampton transfer speculation?
Julen Lopetegui is keen to put his stamp on this West Ham squad between now and the start of the Premier League season and while more signings are expected, the Irons have to start shipping out players who are out of favour.
Although David Moyes’ system was arguably to blame for Ings’ poor form last year, the Englishman has shown throughout his time at the London Stadium he doesn’t have what it takes to be a prolific front man for the Hammers.
The Irons won’t want to be left lumbered with his wage if they don’t intend on using him regularly week in and week out under Lopetegui and therefore it is in their interest to try and move him on sooner rather than later.
However, he is under contract at the London Stadium and therefore he is within his rights to reject any move. If he doesn’t want to return to the south coast, the Hammers have to find a way to get more out of him on the pitch.
Maybe under a new manager he will be able to finally rediscover that goalscoring touch that made him such a threat at Southampton and Burnley.
If he does, he could be the solution to Lopetegui’s current striker issue.
In other West Ham news, Juventus have now entered the summer transfer race for Jean-Clair Todibo amid links with the London Stadium
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