Tottenham has been handed a mini transfer boost in their bid to add Danny Ings to their squad this summer as Southampton manager, Ralph Hasenhuttl appears to concede that the striker is leaving.
The Austrian is keen to keep hold of his main star, but Ings wants to play for a top club again after his time previously at Liverpool.
He has entered the last month of his current deal with the Saints and is refusing to sign a new contract.
This is putting Southampton in a tough position and they would be smart to sell him in this transfer window unless they want to lose him on a free transfer at the end of the 2021/2022 season.
Hasenhuttl spoke about the situation with BBC Radio Solent recently and he claimed that the situation they find themselves with Ings refusing to sign a new contract isn’t ideal.
He said as quoted by The Daily Mail: ‘We need this player, we want him to play for us. But it’s never helpful to go into the last season with one year left – this is what I think he should know. Messages like he doesn’t accept our contract, he doesn’t want to extend his contract, doesn’t help nobody (sic) – not him, not us.
‘I don’t know who sent these messages, it’s not coming from our side, definitely not. We have no interest in blaming the player or finding he’s not feeling good here at this club, no interest in not helping perform the best he can for us. It’s his position and if it’s like this, it would be a pity.’
Except Ings is holding out for a ‘big club’, so not coming anywhere near us then!
Agreed. No matter what rumors are out there, if the player at your club refuses to sign a new contract which Mr Manager was not denying, then it is too late, the train has left the station.
“Messages like he doesn’t accept our contract, he doesn’t want to extend his contract, doesn’t help nobody (sic) – not him, not us.”
Pretty sure it helps Ings go earn 50 grand a week more at a bigger club (yes I include Spurs in that, we are still a bigger club than Southampton ffs!)