Brighton and Newcastle United fought it out for the Championship title and could now go head-to-head for Liverpool striker Danny Ings in January.
It looks increasingly likely that Moussa Dembele’s spell at Celtic will come to an end in the first month of 2018. According to The Mail, The Hoops have set their asking price at £25 million for the in-demand striker.
As such, Brighton and Hove Albion would have to stump up a huge fee, doubling their current transfer record, to bring Dembele to The Amex Stadium in January. That is quite the ask for a club who do not exactly have a limitless bucket of funds despite the obvious financial benefits being a Premier League club provides.
So the report adds that Brighton have an alternative option in their sights – which may see them go head-to-head with old adversaries Newcastle United once again.
The Seagulls will apparently turn their attention to Liverpool’s forgotten man Danny Ings in January but the 25-year-old, who has recently recovered after almost two years out injured, is understood to be a primary target for Newcastle manager Rafa Benitez.
It is understood that Liverpool will let Ings leave on loan – but it would be little surprise to see them sell for the right price with the former Burnley favourite seemingly not part of Jurgen Klopp’s first-team plans at Anfield.
This, therefore, could put Newcastle and Brighton, who fought it out for the Championship title last season, at the centre of another tug-of-war.
Both clubs are understood to be interested in Torino midfielder Afriyie Acquah while Newcastle have made bids for a number of Brighton’s star men, including Lewis Dunk and Anthony Knockaert, in the past only to be left frustrated.
But after Newcastle beat Brighton to the second tier crown, can they now beat them to Ings too?
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