In a recent interview with Football Insider, former Leeds United striker Noel Whelan backed West Ham United to recruit Southampton forward Danny Ings this summer. Whelan said,
“When you look at the size of Villa, Tottenham and West Ham, they are pretty similar.
“Tottenham, for me, are probably slightly bigger in terms of history and what they have done.
“But when you look at where they are after last season, West Ham are more appealing because they are in the Europa League.
“It would be hard to turn down a move to any of those clubs. Look at the market Villa have gone into.
“Look at Tottenham’s stadium. West Ham have Europe, they all have their benefits.
“Villa, to me, look a team who are desperate to rebuild and really challenge for the top six this season.
“Tottenham could have money to spend if Harry Kane goes but they are big shoes to fill.”
Ings’ Impressive Season In English Football
Ings enjoyed a solid campaign at the St. Mary’s Stadium as he put in a series of goal-scoring displays as the spearhead of Ralph Hasenhüttl’s attack. The English frontman scored 13 goals and picked up four assists in 33 matches for the Saints last season across multiple competitions.
The Winchester-born talent deserves credit for averaging 2.0 shots, 0.8 key passes and 1.0 dribbles per 90 minutes in Premier League football. However, he was a bit sloppy with his ball distribution after making 66.3% of his attempted passes in the English top-flight (stats via whoscored).
Will Ings Be A Good Fit For The Hammers This Summer?
Ings has a knack for creating a yard of space for himself to get a few shots in at goal and is a deadly finisher in front of the opposition goal. He can also create some meaningful openings for others around him and is even proficient at pulling off a few well-timed runs in behind the opponent’s backline.
However, Ings has struggled with injuries over the past few seasons, so there are some question marks over his long-term health. Hence, he will be a risky option for the Hammers but could prove to be a good fit for them nonetheless because of his goal-scoring ability in the final third.
Ings will serve as a perfect strike partner to Michail Antonio at the London Stadium, so David Moyes should think about going all out to secure the services of the ex-Liverpool forward before the start of the new season. At 28, Ings is currently playing at his peak, so the East London outfit can expect to get the best out of him as long as he can steer clear of injuries in the coming seasons.
