Danny Ings has opted to proceed with Middlesbrough's approach rather than Wrexham's which will definitely irk a majority of Southampton fans.
With every English club set to arrange preseason tours in the following week or so, now begins the decisive moment for free agents to take control of their future. Once August arrives, the tables turn from chasing ambitious summer moves to calculating which club wishes to upgrade their specific position in a particular budget.
After all, wasting the best time of the entire summer break means scraping past last-minute moves as a second choice option because starting roles are filled everywhere, by then.
Talking about former Southampton goal machine Danny Ings, he isn't too old to go after backup spots even if his sorry West Ham stint says so. However, the Saints may feel the 32-year-old is overestimating himself and the new club he is vying for.
Saints would have wanted Ings to join Wrexham instead
According to a Sky Sports report, Ings is negotiating a potential Middlesbrough arrival but it's the opposite of what Southampton fans were expecting for a month.
Wrexham has been credited with a strong admiration for Ings, and going there as a celebrated Premier League veteran is what multiple stars like Jay Rodriguez and Ben Forster have been doing. By following suit, Ings could have had a less stressed out challenge and pushing towards the top half slots could be a significant win during his debut season.
Then, Ings could have transitioned to a senior dressing room figure and a bit-part player in the next years, depending on how much his fitness allowed. Yet, the Englishman is viewing a Middlesbrough chance where anything less than a playoffs seat is practically pointless individually as well as for his next career steps.
Add to the fact that Boro will consider offloading ex-Saints target Rav Van den Berg, it's doubtful that Ings will bring them into the top ten contention either.
It could be said that Ings overachieved at West Ham than he did elsewhere, without contributing much to the overall cause, so maybe he wants to take more touches on the ball nowadays. Let's see how that plays out.