Local lad and former Saints player Danny Ings career looks set to be over at Aston Villa less than 18 months since joining them from Southampton, back then the fee was £30 million, now his value is much less.

Saints have been said to be considering a bid to bring Danny Ings back to St Mary's, the striker left in back in August 2021 with a sour taste left in the mouth for many Southampton supporters and also some at the club.

However since he has left the club, many things have changed, not least the owners and of course the manager, rumours emerged that Ings was not happy with Ralph Hasenhuttl's style of management.

The fan base are perhaps a little divided, although recent polls suggest that the majority would be happy to welcome him back and save the club from relegation as the prodigal son.

But if Saints are to mount a bid they need to do so soon as it is being reported that West Ham have got in their first with their own offer of £12 million.

Whilst West Ham might well be able to offer Ings a better salary than Saints and the suggestion is that Ings left St Mary's for the money by some, the West Ham position is far less clear than Saints who have new owners and of course a new manager.

That means some of the issues that meant Ings was keen to leave are no longer at the club, so from that perspective the path is a little clearer.

There is also the case of who will be in charge at the London Stadium, they take on Everton there on Saturday and it is said that whichever manager loses will be facing the sack, in fact it goes a little deeper than that, Everton are said to be keen on taking Moyes back to Goodison Park whatever the result.

With West Ham & Everton only above Saints on goal difference, their Premier League future is not much more stable than Saints.

The same can be said about their owners, West Ham owner David Gold died recently aged 86 and there is set to be a tribute to him at the game on Saturday against Everton, Gold has not always been popular amongst West Ham fans and his death brings some instability to the club.

Up at Everton Saints fans saw at first hand the problems up there and they could get worse if they were relegated and in the Championship with a half built stadium needing to be funded.

So perhaps on this one the big factor will be whether Danny Ings fancies being the prodigal son at St Mary's, Ralph Hasenhuttl was quoted back in August 2021 that

“Times have changed. To become a legend at a club is not very interesting anymore sometimes for players."

So If Saints do want to sign Ings perhaps the key to this one is whether Danny Ings wants to come back to his home town and become a "Club Legend" whilst it may stick in the throat of some how he left the club, perhaps this tale will have a happy ending for both player and Southampton Football Club.

Photo: Action Images

underweststand added 11:01 - Jan 19 A proven goalscorer, even a 30 year old with occasional injury problems may not sound like a good investment, but every Saints fan knows Danny's capabilities and even the thought of him playing perhaps 30 minutes a game might make the difference between getting out of the drop zone and Championship football next season, as his potential goal tally might prove to be the difference. Playing alongside Danny would be a masterclass in " how to finish" for our young up-and-coming talents. West Ham is often the graveyard of those experienced International players who never quite made it to top-end status. Surely few fans would consider this to be "a bad deal" especially as we have paid much more for many players who never delivered anything.

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SaintPaulVW added 11:08 - Jan 19 I would welcome him back. Jones looks to be managing Lavia's injury recovery far better than Ralph would have. As I recall it, Ings got injured for us when he was left on against Villa when the points were already in the bag. Likewise to my eyes Tino was injured through over playing him. With Ings fit I reckon you would get at least 6 or 7 extra open field goals in the remainder of this season which could easily make the difference to us staying up. However, I just can't see him coming back to us. The wages would be the sticking point. West Ham will pay, we won't. Hope I am wrong.

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Block8 added 11:12 - Jan 19 Not for me, another potential Walcott? Don't you think there's a reason he's not playing regularly up there, it certainly isn't Watkins prolific scoring record. I may be a bit biased as I loathed the way he left us for money, money, money!!!!!!
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saint_ben added 11:18 - Jan 19 I would take Ings back in a heart beat but I suspect he has already agreed personal terms. I actually think he is making a huge mistake going to West Ham. At his age he needs to play evry single game and at Southampton he would get that. Such a shame as with all the other additions we are making to the squad he would be the cherry on the cake. I bet West Ham are payng him a fortune above the 120'000 a week he is currently on at Villa. He is probably looking at getting in as much money as he can before he hangs up his boots. Sad really but if he doesnt want to be with us then middle finger emoji insert here :) and saints will find an equally as good if not better player to fill the roll. COYR!!

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Keesie66 added 11:22 - Jan 19 €3 million for Memphis Depay only 28 years old Barcelona to Atletico.... Danjuma available on loan.... I think we're missing a trick here...
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saint_ben added 11:51 - Jan 19 Keesie66: Why would Memphis Depay join Southampton, that is laughable. Memphis Depay's current annual salary is close to €10.4 million gross / € 5 million net. Taking this into account, the Dutch winger would earn about €866,000 per month or €200,000 a week.
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saint_ben added 11:54 - Jan 19 and we dont need Arnaut Danjuma, we have signed Orsic and apparently about to sign Jackson that play in this posistion
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felly1 added 11:57 - Jan 19 Best natural finisher at Prem level I've seen in a Saints shirt. Love to have him back.. Can't see it happening though. He'll go to West Ham.. More money, bigger stadium and likely to retain their Premier status.
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davenbennett added 11:57 - Jan 19 West Ham bid for Ings, went grom £10m, to £12m to £15m in a morning. That's how to bring players in. If want, pay the money! It's a gamble for them. But if he scores the goals that keep them up, worth it. Also they are close to bringing in Saints target Moffi. So, maybe 2 new strikers.
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saint_ben added 12:49 - Jan 19 @davebennett Ings is being signed because their offer for Moffi was rebuffed
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Keesie66 added 14:45 - Jan 19 If you add up Memphis Depay (whether he would join or not is another matter) the total outset including transfer fee and wages would be £20 million, that's ain't much considering he is only 28 and would be worth that when he's 30 too...
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wessexman added 15:04 - Jan 19 Whether or not we should sign Ings, against a backdrop of a very divided fanbase, is irrelevant. Fact remains we are into the last third of January and we still need a proven goalscorer. There have been more sightings of Shergar than this mythical striker.
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GRIM added 15:34 - Jan 19 I think Danny Ings is mercenary & will go to any club prepared to pay him silly money. He'll be more than happy to sit on the bench at West Ham & count his money. I cannot forget when we signed him he said it was a dream come true coming to play for the team he supported as a kid, then left at short notice as soon as Villa offered him big money. Also he is no longer prolific, like many players they lose their appetite for a fight when they are on big salaries & have an inflated ego. You probably gather that I didn't want Ingsy back.

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Winchestersaint added 16:18 - Jan 19 He is now set to do a medical today or tomorrow. looks like may became a West Ham player before the match with Everton on Sunday? PLease ignore my nickname WinchesterSaint as I had already moved out of Winchester years aog but I cannot change it, I am stuck with my old nickname. Ignorant "The Ugly Inside"!!!!
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jameslastfan added 16:20 - Jan 19 I would welcome him back with a bonus payment for 10 goals. That is language he would understand. But, it comes to something when he is even being talked about - says a lot about the whole footballer market in January and also about how attractive Southampton is more widely. Neither are good for us.
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IWOZTHERE added 16:31 - Jan 19 I can't see it, on wages alone. That said, we are desperate, and for the money we're talking, he's as near as we're likely to get to a proven striker.
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SFC_Referee added 17:53 - Jan 19 Not exactly that great of a signing as all it would’ve done is delayed our number 9 issue for a season or so, not solved it. And even then there’s always the possibility that he could get injured quite soon, or even then not be what he used to, as it’s hardly likes he’s been shining that bright since he left us. And of course on top of all that you’ve got how much he’d want wages wise which is the main reason he left us in the first place! Which I myself and I’m sure a fair few others weren’t the biggest fans of…

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IanRC added 11:01 - Jan 20 Good, would not want him back, ungrateful so and so
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AmericanSaint added 19:06 - Jan 20 We should have gone out and signed Chris Wood, like Forest just did. He is proven, a BIG target and can score headers from set pieces. UGH another one missed. We need a proven PL striker and they dont grow on trees.
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