Regarding Ings, I'm in two minds about this (if true). His finishing ability is someone we lack in a big way but he spent virtually all of last season on the bench. However, if he can find anywhere close to the form he showed when he was here before it could become the best piece if business ever. Sell him for 30mill, re-sign him for 6mill a couple of seasons later.
If his wages are reasonable (which I would doubt), then I would be fine with bringing Ings in as a back-up striker for £6m. I'd prefer that to Che signing a new contract. But I wouldn't want to be signing Ings as our lead striker. He's three years older than when we sold him, and he's spent most of the time either on the bench or on the treatment table. It's one of the two most important positions on the pitch, and getting it wrong will likely result in an immediate return to the Championship. I struggle to see Ings being the right answer. Coming off the bench in the 65th minute most games, with a handful of starts across the season = great. Planning on him being the guy to start 25+ league games = no thank you.
Who gets priority on the treatment table, Ings or Stewart? Age before beauty, or scissors, paper, stone?
I can’t see why he would come here if he’s going to be a backup though. Sure he might be higher up the pecking order than at West Ham but if he’s not first choice here and (presumably) taking a wage cut I don’t see why he wouldn’t just stay put. He’s said before he isn’t interested in dropping to the Championship for playing time so if he wants to stay in the PL he is going to have to accept a back up role, so may aswell earn the most doing it. Our scouts seem to have been watching old Saints footage so maybe they have seen the partnership Adams and Ings had and want to recreate that
I think his experience alone would be valuable to our young forwards- he knows how to use guile to his advantage.Unless I’m mistaken we don’t have much forward experience on the coaching staff either.
Heard on the Ings grapevine that he would be interested in a return, but as Magic says, doesn’t quite follow any logic from his previous actions.
Rumour of Benfica forward, Tiago Gouveia. He has all five vowels in his surname. That seems a good enough reason to sign him.
Personally don't want Ings back no matter the price/wages. He came to us after a horror spell at Liverpool and we loved him. Could have stayed to become a legend but left at the first opportunity. Stay gone, thanks.
I would start to worry about our scouting department. Ings, Lallana and an un-named ex midfielder. It’s not feeling very ambitious or imaginative.
The only logic is if he’s coming back as first choice, which I don’t think anyone would be very happy with hopefully including people at the club
