Liverpool striker Danny Ings is firmly in the running to be the next Leeds United signing, according to Football Whispers.
The football site claimed on Friday afternoon that the forgotten forward, 25, is the second likeliest Elland Road arrival in the January window.
The one-time England international has rocketed up the list of expected Leeds arrivals following reports this week that he is a firm target of the Championship promotion hopefuls.
Football Whispers, which gathers all transfer rumours across the globe and calculates the likelihood of them happening, rates it 3.1 out of 5 that Gamba Osaka central midfielder Yosuke Ideguchi, 21, will join Leeds, with five the highest possible ranking and meaning it is a certainty.
The four-times international is narrowly ahead in the ratings of Ings, who is rated at 2.9 to transfer to Elland Road after moving up from his rating last week of 1.4. MLS striker Cyle Larin is paced in third with a rating of 1.1.
Ings’ two-year spell at Anfield has been ruined by two serious knee injuries and he has appeared for only 17 minutes in the senior side in the last 11 months.
Good move for Leeds?
Yes, definitely. Ings has an impressive scoring record and was one of the most in-demand strikers in the country before quitting Burnley, where he scored 43 times in 130 matches. His Liverpool career has not got going due to injury and horrible luck but he is still young enough and, crucially, good enough to make a big impact in the Premier League. Joining Leeds in January would enable him to play regularly and rediscover his mojo. It would suit both parties to a tee.
This Is Futbol rating: 8/10
Likely to happen?
This Is Futbol rating: 5/10
Ings is contracted to Liverpool until 2020 and it has been reported that he could be allowed to leave on loan in January in order to build up his fitness and play first-team football. Leeds would need to present a strong case to Ings, as well as negotiating a deal that suits Liverpool. The Daily Star report that Ings’ current deal is worth £60,000-a-week, and the Yorkshire giants would need to pay a significant portion of his wages to make it happen. However, owner Andrea Radrizzani and director of football Victor Orta showed with the Pierre-Michel Lasogga loan that they are able to skilfully negotiate a loan deal for a top-flight forward on a mega salary. Leeds are reportedly contributing £15,000-a-week towards the German’s £50,000-a-week wage.