'That's the bottom line' - West Ham tipped to make big decision on £15m striker deal

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The club are ‘very unlikely’ to offer the striker a new contract

West Ham are said to be ‘very unlikely’ to offer Danny Ings a new contract when his current deal expires.

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As things stand, the striker will be out of contract next summer and a former scout has spoken to Football Insider, claiming that the Irons believe Ings is no longer a Premier League-level player.

Speaking to the football news outlet, ex-Irons scout Mike Brown said: “West Ham signed Danny Ings because they had a goals deficit. He was a buyable asset in terms of his availability and cost, so the club were keen to make a move to bring him in to help out.

Danny Ings celebrates scoring his fifth goal for the Irons in recent draw with FulhamDanny Ings celebrates scoring his fifth goal for the Irons in recent draw with Fulham
Danny Ings celebrates scoring his fifth goal for the Irons in recent draw with Fulham | Getty Images

“I’ve always thought he’s one of those players who’s as honest as they day is long, but he’s not a Premier League player anymore.

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“That’s the bottom line, that’s what the club will be looking at now and that’ll be their thinking. It’s very unlikely that they’ll offer him a new deal, from what I know they’ll let him leave when his contract runs out at the end of the season.”

Ings, 32, arrived in Stratford in a £15 million move from Aston Villa. He has gone on to make 56 appearances for the club, but quickly fell out of favour with David Moyes last season and started just seven games. Under Julen Lopetegui, the ex-Southampton man has started just one in eight matches.

With only five goals in 56 appearances across all competitions, Football Insider suggest it’s very likely that the 32-year-old will leave the club for nothing when the current campaign concludes.

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As he has less than a year on his contract, Ings would be able to negotiate a move abroad from January. But, with two months to go until the next transfer window opens, there appears to be little interest as yet from any club .

At the end of the summer, Ings had reportedly seen interest from Leeds, Burnley and his former club Southampton but such interest seems to have waned.

With both Ings and Michail Antonio enjoying what is widely expected to be their final season at the London Stadium, Lopetegui brought in Germany forward Niclas Fullkrug. However, the striker sustained an injury while on international duty last month and has been unable to add to his four Irons appearances.

Once the 31-year-old is back up and running, it is highly anticipated that Ings’ time on the pitch will be reduced even further as the ex-Borussia Dortmund star takes his place in the line-up.

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