Forgotten ex Aston Villa and Liverpool £15m man 'adamant' about West Ham redemption

West Ham striker Danny Ings is 'adamant' that he can force his way back into Julen Lopetegui's first team plans this season having become somewhat of a forgotten man at the London Stadium.

The former Aston Villa, Liverpool and Burnley striker has an impressive 71 Premier League goals to his name and was once one of the division's most prolific finishers. However, only four of those goals have come since moving to West Ham from Aston Villa for £15 million in 2023.

Ings has made 53 appearances for West Ham since arriving at the London Stadium in January 2023 but those outings have added up to just 1,672, averaging just over 30 minutes per run out. A fringe player under Moyes, it had appeared unlikely that Ings would find much more luck under Julen Lopetegui, who has been ruthless in revamping his squad.

Ings was afforded five minutes against Aston Villa in the season opener by Lopetegui but was widely speculated to be one of the first team players on his way out of the club as part of a summer clearout. However, with Deadline Day now passed, it seems as if Ings will be sticking around.

GIVEMESPORT reports that the striker's former club Southampton made a move for the player later in the window but now claims that Ings was against the idea of leaving West Ham. The player is said to be 'adamant' that he has a part to play this season.

The Hammers splurged £27.5 million on Niclas Fullkrug to bolster their attack, shifting Ings even further down the pecking order, with the outlet adding that Lopetegui is also open to the idea of Ings seeing more game time than he did under David Moyes.

It is expected that Ings is afforded game time in the Carabao Cup third round tie at Liverpool later this month, which could provide a platform for the player to prove his worth as he enters the final season of his contract.