It’s not often a manager professes his desire to sign another club’s star man. At least, not in public in front of the unrelenting glare of the TV cameras.
But in 2015, then-Real Sociedad boss David Moyes obviously felt an up front and honest approach was the best way to go as his La Liga employers attempted to convince Danny Ings to take that hardly well-worn path from Burnley to San Sebastian.
“Danny is someone who I think has done really well and who anyone would like to have,” Moyes told the BBC in February 2015.
“Would we be able to attract him here? I don’t know. There are players who I think it would help them. It would help their profile and it would be great for many of them to come and play in Spain.”
According to The Independent, Ings even flew out to Spain for a face-to-face meeting with Moyes having been offered a cool £60,000 a week by Real Sociedad. But when Liverpool came calling, handing Ings a once-in-a-lifetime chance to hone his talents on the hallowed turf at Anfield, Moyes had little in the way of a response.
Flash forward six years, however, and the former Manchester United boss could be forgiven for feeling he’ll never have a better chance to finally sign one of his long-time transfer targets.
Ings, the £20 million England international, is out of contract next summer. He has has shown little interest, so far, of extending his stay at a Southampton side that has picked up fewer points than any other top-flight side in 2021.
According to talkSPORT, West Ham United – Moyes’ West Ham United – are one of the clubs determined to lure Ings away from St Mary’s.
And even if the Hammers do fall short in their Champions League quest, they may still be able to offer Ings a route into Europe via a top-six finish.
The Southampton talisman hasn’t sampled continental competition since 2017/18, his last season at Liverpool.
Six years ago, Real Sociedad were fighting an uphill battle in their attempts to sign one of England’s most exciting young forwards. But, at West Ham, Moyes now has a club with stature, funds and no shortage of ambition to back him up.
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