Ralph Hasenhuttl responds to constant Danny Ings transfer rumours

Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl has addressed Danny Ings’ future in an honest interview ahead of the upcoming campaign.

Ings has been linked with a host of clubs amidst an ongoing contract saga at Saints but it remains a real possibility that the 28-year-old will be at St Mary’s for at least one more year.

Speaking on the potential of keeping Ings for the 2021/22 season with BBC Radio Solent’s Adam Blackmore, Hasenhuttl said:

"He’s out player for another year. We paid a lot of money for him when we brought him here, we invested a lot to bring him on his highest level. We went with him through all these injuries he had, gave him the time to recover and the time to perform. He helped us massively with his goals and put a lot of effort in the seasons since he is here – he’s a fantastic professional. It would be a pity if this came to an end next summer but there’s still one year to go."

Professional Ings will still be a huge asset for Southampton if he stays

Many clubs have been linked with Ings this summer, with Spurs and Manchester City amongst the most heavily linked.

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No concrete offer has been put forward by a club yet though amid a report from the Athletic that suggests Saints would find £25-30m hard to turn down.

What is important to understand is that Saints look set on their own strategy with Ings’ situation. As Hasenhuttl implies here, they seem to be preparing for at least one more season with their main goalscorer leading their attack.

Despite ongoing rumours about his future, Ings has always put in his full effort for Saints. That would still continue into 2021/22 if he did not get the Champions League move he is wanting.

Compared to the potential price that they could get in this market, the goals that Ings will score could be even more valuable to Saints and be the difference between places in the Premier League table.

Ings became a Saints player in 2018/19 when he joined on-loan from Liverpool and he started fairly slowly whilst contending with a troublesome hamstring injury. Eight goals in 25 appearances came before his eventual permanent move for around £20m.

38 goals in 75 games since have seen him reach levels to make him one of the Premier League’s best finishers and show that he still has plenty of time ahead of him in his career.