Danny Ings left Southampton in controversial circumstances 3 years ago and incurred the wrath of Saints supporters in doing so, it didn't turn out well for for either the player of Southampton FC, can time be turned back for both.
The rumour that Danny Ings might be returning to Southampton is gathering pace with southamptonfcnews claiming that a £6 million bid is on the table.
When Danny Ings left St Mary's it was done with indecent haste and the feeling was that Ings had left for the money and not his career.
In hindsight it proved shrewd business for Southampton, Ings had scored only 12 Premier League goals in the previous season, in fairness not a bad total, but not the 22 he had scored the year before that.
The £30 million fee softened the blow, much bigger than his valuation at the time, but the truth was we didn't replace him and that started the rot that ended in relegation in season 2022/23.
For Ings it proved even more disastrous, he effectively ended his England career as he went from a squad member to not even in consideration.
At Aston Villa his career went from bad to worse, although he would score in his first 3 games he ended with only 7 Premier League goals in his first season at Villa Park and to rub it in his best game was against Saints when he scored 1 and had 2 assists in our 4-0 drubbing at Villa Park.
His second season was a little better and the rumours started that he would be sold in the January 2023 transfer window, a little under 18 months after his arrival.
Villa were happy to sell and snatched West Ham's hand off and pocketed £12 million plus a £3 million add on as the Hammers had avoided relegation.
But he wasn't a hit for the Hammers and in 17 appearances would score in just one game, his two goals being his only strikes.
Ings would score just twice at West Ham in his first half season and added to the 6 goals he had scored at Villa and ended with 8 from the season overall.
Last season in the League he would be an unused sub 18 times, he would get off it on 17 occasions and start just 3 games, scoring just once in only 405 minutes of football.
So on the face of it Southampton's bid for Danny Ings does not look a good one, Ings will turn 32 next month and has just had an awful season.
But the question is whether that was more down to a manager who just didn't fancy him as a player, than his poor performances.
Strikers thrive on confidence and it is true to say Ings has not had a lot of it since his early days at Villa Park, so could he rediscover that back in his home City and perhaps in doing so restore his reputation with Saints supporters.
Those that say Ings is a crock are wide off the mark, he has been in the matchday squad in every game of the last two seasons and in his first season at Villa he would be unavailable just 5 times, all but one of those coming in the first few months.
So Ings has been fit and raring to go for virtually all of the three seasons since he left St Mary's, the issue has been game time and that that could help prolong his career.
The gamble is paying £6 million, but that is cheap by Premier League standards and there is an argument that for the forthcoming season, Saints have to concentrate on the short term, it is about staying in the Premier League at the end of the season, so short term cheap fixes like Danny Ings could play a big part in that.
Ings is a good player and good players don't become bad ones overnight without good reason, from that perspective it could be said that Ings has been at the wrong clubs at the wrong time, his confidence is at rock bottom, could coming back to Southampton FC restore it, if it could then it could be the best £6 million we have spent.