Since joining West Ham United in January, Danny Ings has had nothing but the worst ten months of his life.
During this year’s January transfer window, West Ham paid £20 million (Evening Standard) to acquire Danny Ings from Aston Villa.
Although it was only a desperate move, Hammers manager David Moyes recruited the 31-year-old in the hopes that he would lead us to safety. He also freely acknowledged in May that he hadn’t exactly adapted to life at the London Stadium as much as he would have liked to.
The former player for Burnley, Liverpool, Southampton, and Aston Villa was doomed to failure from the outset at the London Stadium.
It is understandable that the Scot was hesitant to sign him in the first place given that he has only ever really performed when playing as part of a two up front, something Moyes has rarely done in his managerial career.
It was just a panic purchase, nothing more or less. And West Ham is currently bearing the consequences of what was a very expensive error.
Danny Ings: The worst £20 million transfer ever made to West Ham United
At West Ham, there have been many bad signings throughout the years. The names Marco Boogers, Simone Zaza, and Savio Nsereko come to mind.
But Ings is the best of the lot, in my opinion, and the sooner we sell him, the better.
Since moving to East London ten months ago, the 31-year-old has only managed three goals in 33 games for the Hammers (Transfermarkt).
He seems to be long past his prime at the Premier League level and doesn’t fit into Moyes’s system at all.
Ings lacks all speed, is rarely victorious in physical confrontations, and has a tendency to snatch at opportunities to score goals when they are provided to him.
The seasoned striker might yet have a respectable career in the Championship or with a Premier League team that plays with two up top and is in danger of relegation.
The plain truth is that Danny Ings isn’t good enough to be in our squad, nor is he a fit for West Ham United’s style of play. If anything, he’s merely getting in the way of Divin Mubama, a very gifted young player, getting consistent first-team playing time.
Although Ings has been a respectable striker throughout his career, Moyes’ decision to persuade the owners to spend £20 million to bring him to the London Stadium now appears to have been a grave mistake.
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