Journalist Darren Lewis thinks that Danny Ings’ decision not to sign a contract at Southampton might be to do with the rest of the players around him.
Southampton continued their poor run of form recently with a 2-1 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur having led the match 1-0 thanks to a goal from Ings in the first half that took his total in the Premier League season up to ten, which accounts for a quarter of the team’s goals so far this season.
And speaking on the TalkSport Gameday podcast, Lewis felt that Ings, who is reportedly in the middle of contract negotiations at the club right now, could be getting tired of having to be the main man at St. Mary’s and that desire to not be such a burden could be behind his decision not to sign a new deal just yet:
“That’s probably why Ings is not signing a new deal. He’s probably thinking, ‘I can’t keep bailing the team out. I’ve got to be playing in a team where my goals mean something rather than me having to bail the team out all the time.’”
Do you think Southampton can keep Ings?
Yes, I don't see why not
No, he will be gone
TIF Thoughts on Darren Lewis’ comments about Danny Ings’ situation at Southampton…
Lewis’ comments do make some level of sense when it comes to what the £19.8m-rated Ings wants to achieve and why there have been hints in the past that he wants to move to a bigger club.
After all, what is the point in playing for a team where your goals aren’t really meaning anything? For other teams, it would be about staying up or fighting for something near the top of the table, whereas for Southampton right now they aren’t really doing anything of consequence.
And even if he isn’t the main man at a team like Tottenham or Liverpool, at least there his goals would be supplementing a title charge, a push for Europe or a European campaign rather than just for the sake of existing in the Premier League.
In other news: ‘Consequence’ – ESPN pundit airs Southampton weakness