According to The Telegraph, Southampton striker Danny Ings wants to join a Champions League club this summer – and is holding off signing a new contract as a result.
Southampton want to make Ings the best-paid player in their history by giving him a huge four-year deal, but Ings isn’t keen right now.
Ings is now inside the final 18 months of his contract, and seemingly feels that this may be the time for him to move on to a bigger club.
Ings is now 28, and having endured injury issues throughout his career, few could blame him for feeling this is his last chance to make an impact for a club playing in Europe.
The report notes that Tottenham wanted to sign Ings over the summer as cover and competition for Harry Kane, but had to sign Carlos Vinicius on loan instead.
Tottenham make sense as a potential destination in the sense that they should be playing in Europe, and they could return for Ings when Vinicius’s loan spell ends.
Ings specifically wants the Champions League though. A return to Liverpool seems unlikely, whilst Manchester City could be in the market for a striker with Sergio Aguero out of contract.
What about Leicester City? Jamie Vardy could do with some help, and Brendan Rodgers signed Ings for Liverpool, meaning a reunion may be appealing for the league-leading Foxes.
Southampton will be fearing the worst over their goal machine striker, and having seen Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg leave for Spurs inside the final year of his deal, the same could now happen with Ings.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
