News of Danny Ings’s refusal to accept a transfer to Southampton is slightly concerning for West Ham’s transfer plans this season.
One would hope that any proceeds from an Ings sale would not be pivotal to the club’s transfer fund. However, the news that West Ham offered to subsidise the striker’s wages in order to facilitate his move indicates an eagerness to get him off the books.
More worrying is the player’s contentment to sit on the substitute bench at West Ham rather than play first-team football for the Saints. Whilst the usual cliches and platitudes will be trotted out about how he can stay at The London Stadium and fight for his place, it seems unlikely he’ll play frequently.
After all, Ings left Aston Villa in search of first-team football having been ousted from the team by the excellent Ollie Watkins. Therefore, it’s safe to assume there was a time when Ings’s priority was game time on the pitch.
One can only assume that the problem isn’t location either. After all, Winchester-born Ings is a southern lad who thrived at Southampton in the past.
I don’t blame the player in the slightest for wishing to remain at West Ham, and he certainly seems content and happy amongst the squad, judging by recent training ground footage.
One can only hope that removing the player’s significant wages from the West Ham balance sheet is not crucial in the club’s striker recruitment plans. There are too many current Hammers players who are unofficially yet publicly for sale but appear to have received little outside interest.
It may well be that new Hammers head coach Julen Lopetegui has to integrate the likes of Ings, Cornet, Zouma, and Aguerd in the absence of any serious transfer interest. Let’s just hope it doesn’t impact West Ham’s buying power too much.
Why buy players back they left for more money so don’t waste money
Ings has been a good striker for previous club but done nothing at West Ham. Can’t blame him for taking the wages and sitting on bench. He might be slow and out of his depth now at the top level but he isn’t a cheat. None of us fans would willingly take a pay cut would we ? Footballers all earn far too much. It’s ridiculous the contracts given out and clubs have themselves to blame.
Ings is a great player but didn’t fit Moyes system. He does fit in to the new guys method to play. At 31 he has to protect his last few years at the top do I don’t blame him for maximising his income. If given a fair chance I think he’ll fit into the new system very well.
Ings has been stealing a living for years 150,000 a week allegedly!!
Ings was a panic buy as usual left to last minute.
Doesn’t really matter who made decision to sign him as there wasn’t any alternatives.
Everybody seems to agree he wasn’t given enough time and didn’t suit Moyes style.
Nowhere nearer signing main striker + maybe a freebie striker.
Debatable whether Ings is staying or going?
If he stays will need to play a lot more as there will only Antonio.
Antonio as last 20 minute sub is an option but no longer a 90 minute player.
Suggestion that we don’t need new striker could be a nail in JLo coffin.
How many teams in premier division don’t have at least 1 or maybe 2 strikers to cover injury/rotation?
Ings obviously didn’t suit the Moyes way of playing. Seems like we had a few strikers that were like that too. I’d like to think we can shift him off the wage bill IF the new manager doesn’t want him. Might just be that the manager is evaluating everyone before deciding who leaves.
Who the hell agreed the deal in the first place?, £125,000 a week for what ? Yet another odd move by us . Bring on some youngsters, after all we have just bought a young Brazilian haven’t we. Sometimes I wonder about this club I have supported for more than 60 years!
I think you’ll find it was David Moyes who wanted Ings. David Sullivan obviously approved the deal. Just another one on a long list of stupid Moyes signings contributing to a lot of wasted money. Scots might be known for being tight with money but not when it belongs to somebody else!
It’s clear he doesn’t want to go back and play for Southampton, if he did he would jump at the chance, it’ seems clear west ham don’t want him either, as a saint’s fan I don’t want him back.
To be fair, guys….Ings wasn’t given much of an opportunity by Moyes, was he? Three starts and 16 sub appearances lasting around ten minutes each time wasn’t much.
I AGREE ,he hasn’t been given a fair chance I forgot what game it was now But ings played in no 10 And was man of the match He scored and made a goal
If saints want to stay in the premiership they don’t need a waster like Ings
As he accepted a transfer to us,you would expect that he has been fighting for a place since then and guess what,he’s failed.So,one can only assume that he has decided to sit on the bench,get the odd 2 minutes on the pitch,train half hearted and bank the £125,000 a week.Cheating raises it’s ugly head again!
Can’t call it cheating, can you? After all, if any of us were offered a job on these terms we’d leap at it. Many things – but ‘cheating’? Don’t think so.
We’ll end up with a high class striker . A man on admittedly high wages but in his last season of his contract won’t stop that .
Hi gonzo, I really hope this doesn’t mean that iheanacho becomes our choice for striker (If that happens why on earth have we employed TS as his signing would fly in the face of the stated aims) His goals record is risible and certainly not what we need. This stinks of a pre steidten era signing should it occur
Money grabbing waste of space sack or terminate his contract worse bench warmer in our history another moyes super star
Like many others I rarely miss a game and Ings is by far the worst performer of the whole squad to my eyes. Lacklustre performances if given a start and little impact when on as a sub. He looks uninterested and woefully short of pace in the modern Premier League. One decent outing last season is what I counted, it’s a shame Marshall and/or Mubama weren’t given the chances he had to impress off the bench as we may have had a different dynamic to the start of this campaign.100% agree has to go.
Ings was robbing us last season, for what he offered, and the wage we were paying him, No Wonder he does not want to leave, he is on a Bus Man’s Holiday! How much longer is left on his contract? He Must GO!
Moyes didn’t give Ings much opportunity did he? Just 3 starts plus 16 sub appearances of approx. 10 minutes each time (one goal) is hardly his fault is it?
Despite the report that he wants to stay, I think he’ll be gone soon.
I agree. He wasn’t given a chance. I think he’s worth holding on to.
He was not given a chance