Aston Villa confirmed on their official website that they have completed the capture of Danny Ings from Southampton on an undisclosed fee this summer. It is understood that the Villans have secured the services of the English forward who has penned a three-year contract at Villa Park (via www.avfc.co.uk).
Ings’ Campaign Of Mixed Emotions At St. Mary’s Stadium
Ings experienced an up and down season at the south coast of England but did well to put in some productive displays as the focal point of Ralph Hasenhüttl’s attack. The Winchester-born centre-forward netted 13 goals and grabbed four assists in 33 matches for the Saints in the previous campaign across multiple competitions.
The English sensation deserves a pat on the back for averaging 2.0 shots, 0.8 key passes and 1.0 dribbles per game in the Premier League. However, the 29-year-old was sloppy with his link-up play in the final third as he completed just 66.3% of his attempted passes in the English top tier (stats via whoscored).
However, Ings missed a handful of key games because of injury which doesn’t bode well for his career in the long run. Hence, Dean Smith will have to be careful not to overuse him at Villa Park over the next few seasons.
What Will The English Striker Add To Dean Smith’s Team?
Ings is a natural finisher in the final third and has got the poacher’s instincts to finish off a lot of chances for his team. He can also create some decent openings for others around him and can also time his runs well in behind the opponent’s backline.
The English frontman has proven himself to be a reliable goal-getter in Premier League football, so he could turn out to be an excellent acquisition for Aston Villa this summer. At 29, Ings still has a lot of good years left in him as long as he can stay healthy in the coming seasons.
We can expect the former Liverpool talent to add plenty of goals to Smith’s frontline. There is no doubt that he will be a positive presence in the Villans dressing room and has what it takes to rival Ollie Watkins for a regular starting spot at Villa Park next season. Ings could help the West Midlands outfit secure a top-half finish in the Premier League, so Smith deserves credit for adding him to his squad during this summer transfer period.
