Way back – two and a half years ago to be exact – West Ham United club web site announced the signing of Danny Ings for the sum of £15 million. Controversial at the time, this has proved to be one of West Ham’s many failed striker signings: What made Ings worse was his age – he was 30 at the time of signing – his playing style which was never going to fit in with David Moyes’ tactics – and his reported wages of £125,000 a week.
In these days of ‘salary ratio to income’ requirements, West Ham have been desperate to get Ings off the books as recently as last summer but the player wouldn’t leave: Can’t blame him, one has to blame more the crazy deal that left him siting on the bench an unwanted immobile ageing player earning something over. Six and a Half. Million pounds. A year.
With no swell-on or PSR – amortised value at the end of his time with the club.
Whoever was responsible for signing him- allegedly (if I remember right) Moyes said Sullivan, Sullivan said Moyes – what is important is that West Ham learn from the folly of signing Ings in the first place. He didn’t fit the style or the system but was more of a knee-jerk purchase which certainly surprised the fan base as an emergency forward when Gianluca Scamacca was injured. The problem is that he’s thwarted West Ham’s plans to bring in newer, fitter and faster strikers as his bloated contract took up two or three youngsters’ salaries: Evan Ferguson, for example, was on £20,000 a week this season at Brighton.
West Ham must avoid just “knee-jerking” into other old player signings: At least ‘buying them on the way up’ means there is a residual or sell on value, as the Hammers may find out with Paquetá or Kudus: The Ings experience has led to a total of approaching fifteen million on wages being poured down the drain. For what. Five goals. Three million a pop. No more, please.
Now: What was that story from yesterday about Timo Werner?
nice thank you
I seem to recall that we were desperate for a PL proven centre forward at the time. We were short up front and looking to compete in the upper half of the PL and Europe. We did manage to be successful in both.
Danny was only ever a short-term appointment. In as cover. Of course we had to offer a contract to tempt him away from Aston Villa. Value for money in the end. The choice of suitable forwards was very limited at the time. Our owners and management did well for us at the time.
COYI
Absolutely shocking…. Complete waste of time and money 😡….The fact he realised his situation pretty quickly and dug his heels in says everything about loyalty to the club…He had zero…. Don’t talk to me about being a good professional etc…Sure in business money talks….But the fact he didn’t care if he played or not stinks!….If he really wanted to play football he would have moved on……. Hope he ends up at the dog and duck….