When Danny Ings left Southampton last summer with very indecent haste, Saints supporters felt betrayed in a way that would not usually be the case when a much loved player leaves the club, but with rumours that Aston Villa are now looking to cut their losses, would we have him back at at St Mary's.

There is no doubt that Saints supporters were upset when Danny Ings left the club last summer, we were prepared for him to go to a big club and perhaps have one last shot at the big time and the Champions League etc, but going to to Aston Villa was not much of a step up from Saints.

Of course there was no doubt they were a bigger club, but truth is in today's game clubs like Villa and Everton have been left behind from being a true power in the Premier League.

Danny Ings went for the "Project" so he said, but having just turned 29 he hardly had a lot of time left for a project, he needed to go to a club that could give him a shot at glory now.

But with the season drawing to a close it hasn't quite turned out the way that the striker had hoped.

Villa endured a poor start to the season and sacked their manager and Ings has found himself down the pecking order at Villa Park, he has started just 19 of the 32 Premier League games he could have played in, come on as sub in another 5 and taken no part in the other 8.

Ings was signed to score goal, but he has managed just 5, one of them a penalty in his first game for the club, indeed after scoring in his second game, he has hit the net just 3 times in the next 8 months, ironically the last of those coming against Saints in our 4-0 defeat at Villa Park, although to be fair I could probably have got a goal that day we were so poor.

This has let to the rumours that Villa are now looking to offload him at a cut price or use him as a makeweight in a deal with Brighton for Yves Bissouma.

But with it looking unlikely that Armando Broja returns to the club next season, Saints will be looking at their options up front for next season and inevitably Ings name will crop up.

Turning 30 in July he will not be a target for one of the bigger clubs, so the likes of Brighton and Saints are obvious links.

One issue though will be wages, Ings went to Villa for around £130,000 a week if the stories from last summer are to be believed, if he goes on a permanent transfer there are going to be no takers at that level.

He would be looking at taking a drop of at least £60 k a week perhaps more given his poor scoring record this season and age, with two years left on his current contract. would he be willing to throw away around £6 million of potential earnings in the next two years.

That makes it likely that if he does go in the summer then it could be out on loan to someone, where a deal could be struck regarding his wages.

So would you welcome Ings back as the Prodigal Son or should we leave him as part of our history.

I'm sure some will feel that he burned his bridges last summer, others will feel that we could do better, but there will be those that think that at the right price, it could be a deal worth doing.

Putting all emotion to one side, how do you feel about a potential return ?

Vote now in our poll using the link below and also add your comments and feelings about the local lad who came back once and could do so again.

https://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/southampton/forum/284993/would-you-welcom

Photo: Action Images

highfield49 added 10:54 - Apr 26 Having just viewed Tyler Dibling's hat trick for the B team at Newcastle we seem to have another genuine talent in the making. Love to see him given some first team game time sooner rather than later. Ings has the experience but isn't the future of the club.
4

felly1 added 11:14 - Apr 26 Yes, I'd have him back in a heartbeat. Best finisher I've seen in a Saints shirt for a very long time. Let's not get too sentimental. Footballers are employees, they go where either possible more success or money can be gained. Doesn't always work out that way though!
-5

wessexman added 12:06 - Apr 26 His fitness levels are questionable. We need a proven goal scorer who can last the season. Ings does not fit that bill.
5

SaintNick added 12:42 - Apr 26 In fairness in his last two seasons at Saints he played all 38 Premier League games in 2019.20, 29 in his last season with us and so far 24 out of 32 at Villa although he has been fit for most of those he missed and an unused sub, so i dont think his injury record is that bad in the last 3 years
-3

kingolaf added 13:02 - Apr 26 I would prefer Adam Armstrong being played in our last 4 games to see if he can cut the Mustard. Whenever I have watched him he looks sharp, quick and has great movement. If Broja isn’t staying (and I’m not really bothered about that), I would prefer that others started in front of him.
6

WestSussexSaint added 13:22 - Apr 26 Yes have him back provided a deal can be done on wages and any transfer fee is waived in favour of a swap deal with Shane Long and he joins as 3rd choice initially behind Adams and AA until he proves himself and he commits himself to the Southampton “project”
1

WestSussexSaint added 13:23 - Apr 26 I hope Villa aren’t looking for a refund in the £30m
3

landsdownsaint added 14:11 - Apr 26 Yes absolutely
-1

landsdownsaint added 14:13 - Apr 26 I can see Brighton doing a trade for Ings
0

claus5 added 14:15 - Apr 26 Why in Gods name would he be 3rd choice behind Armstrong? One is a proven Premier League goal scorer the other clearly isn't.
0

AirFlorida added 14:51 - Apr 26 Yes. If we get him back we get Che back too, so we'll gain a couple of strikers!! But if he does leave I fear Brighton will Hoover him up because they will be a 'bigger' club or an 'exciting project' 😂
-2

SanMarco added 15:00 - Apr 26 Ings misplayed his hand badly and a move to a mid-table club would look to be his only real option. I don't think he would want to return but if he did the club's decision has to be dispassionate based on football and finance. If Broja goes then Adams is the only forward at the club who remotely looks as if he might get into double figures in a season. We will need someone and Ings' attitude was always great. If he brings that attitude back and is not too expensive then it must be worth considering.

-2

YosemiteSaint added 15:50 - Apr 26 I still maintain that Ings really only gave us one sparkling season, and that his biggest gift to us was the ridiculous £30 million transfer fee he somehow commanded. Let's invest wisely and move on from him; were he to return, odds are he'd only play a bit part at best.
2

EvertonSaint added 16:34 - Apr 26 Without a doubt….but no more than £15m. Yes he is injury prone, but we paid more for Armstrong. If he can’t prove himself, sell and get rid of Theo Walcott, Jack Stephens and as he is at the end of his career, sadly Shane Long.
-1

Centurion added 16:42 - Apr 26 Hmmm...not sure he is as good now as when he left. 10 million at the most should be what Saints are prepared to pay.
1

kenis added 17:24 - Apr 26 Agree with Kingolaf, we need to give Adam Armstrong a run in the team and some confidence back and only look at Ings or an equivalent towards the end of the window if RH doesn't think AA has shown enough/can do it for us (no doubt if he went elsewhere and had a fresh start he'd be scoring for fun - he looks like he has the skill and puts the effort in but its not clicking for him yet)

2

IanRC added 19:16 - Apr 26 In a word, no.
2

SaintPaulVW added 23:43 - Apr 26 Pie in the sky stuff. Forget the cut price transfer fee, we wouldn't get anywhere near matching his wages. Great striker for one season. We've all moved on.
2

darthvader added 07:52 - Apr 27 No i rather we kept shane long .
2

andoverpedro added 14:02 - Apr 27 I would have him back as most of our lot cant hit a barn door , would have to be at the right price and wage which i doubt he would take .
0

saintinexile added 10:57 - Apr 29 New owners, look forward not back. So no, unless he wants to pay us for the privilege
0

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