Aston Villa have reportedly received a bid of around £12m from West Ham Utd for Danny Ings, as we must now decide if we are prepared to sell.
Although the 30-year-old has continued to struggle to cement his place in the Villa XI under Unai Emery, he has played a key role for us having scored seven goals and provided two assists in 21 appearances across all competitions so far this season.
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In turn, it could be argued that he’s an important part of the squad that we should keep hold of until the summer at least, but there are also factors that perhaps support the opportunity to move him on now.
According to The Daily Mail, West Ham have lodged a bid of around £12m for Ings, and it’s reported that while Villa weren’t interested in a loan exit, they are prepared to listen to offers of a permanent transfer.
Selling Ings to a Premier League rival is another reason to possibly feel cautious about such an exit, but ultimately if he doesn’t fit into Emery’s plans moving forward and he communicates to Ings that he will likely have a better chance of regular football elsewhere, then perhaps an exit would make sense for all concerned.
Further, at 30 years of age, it’s unlikely that we’ll receive as high an offer for him further down the line, while his current contract expires in 2024 and he is one of the higher earners at the club. With that in mind, selling him now could allow us to significantly cut the wage bill.
However, the important aspect from a Villa perspective here is if Emery and the club are willing to sell, then they have to be sure we have enough firepower without Ings.
Villa confirmed on Monday that an agreement had been reached with Chicago Fire to sign Jhon Duran, and while the 19-year-old Colombian international is a top prospect and a long-term solution, it’s questionable as to whether he’s ready to come in and make an immediate impact.
Having also loaned Cameron Archer out to Middlesbrough for the rest of the season, we would be left shorthanded in terms of alternative options to Ollie Watkins up front to lead the line, and so there is risk involved if we approve an exit for Ings this month and don’t have a replacement lined up.
Time will tell what Villa decide upon, but it would arguably be good to see Ings stay until the end of the season. However, if he does leave this month, then we must have an option ready to come in and fill that void to ensure we have enough firepower for the remainder of the campaign.
