Report: Aston Villa want Premier League rivals’ £20m talisman; he could reject move

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Aston Villa are keen on Southampton’s £20 million contract-rebel Danny Ings but, according to The Athletic, the England international has something bigger in mind.

While the one-time Liverpool striker is looking to take a sizeable leap up the footballing ladder after three seasons on the South Coast, Aston Villa feels more like a sidewards step in truth.

Yes, Dean Smith’s side finished four places and 12 points better off than the Saints last season. Yes, this is a club with ambition by the bucketload, bankrolled by billionaire owners with money to burn.

But if Ings wants to join a club fighting for trophies – all the while playing regularly in continental competition – any approach from Villa Park is likely to returned to sender.

The Athletic reports that Ings has turned down a new contract at St Mary’s, rejecting the chance to become the best-paid player in Southampton’s history.

So, with the new league season just a month away, The Saints have been hit with a very unwelcome dilemma; Would they be better off cashing in on Ings now, 12 months before he’s due to become a free-agent, or fight to retain the services of a man who could be the difference between a mid-table finish and a relegation battle?

Will Danny Ings turn down Aston Villa?

The report adds that Tottenham and West Ham United have both shown an interest too.

And while both may also fall short of Ings’ expectations – the 28-year-old was linked with Manchester City as recently as February – Spurs and West Ham can at least put European football on the table, which is more than can be said for Aston Villa.

You can’t blame Smith and co for trying.

The ex-Burnley talisman is a player who would improve most clubs in the Premier League, while a strikeforce of Emi Buendia, Ollie Watkins, Jack Grealish and Ings would strike fear into the hearts of most defenders.

But if Ings wants to fight for silverware at the very top of the game, then the claret-and-blue giants may fall slightly short of the striker’s lofty ambitions.