Russell Martin, who once achieved a memorable promotion up to the Premier League as Southampton manager, will be plying his trade in League One next season as Leicester City's new boss.
It has been quite the fall from grace for Martin, ever since he left St. Mary's, as he struggled significantly at Rangers to ever get going, as he now tries to resurrect his managerial career with the sleeping giants.
He looks set to welcome Danny Ings to his brand-new King Power set-up, too, to keep the Southampton connections flowing, with reports suggesting that the veteran attacker is undergoing a medical to complete a one-year deal.
Ings has had quite the rollercoaster career, much like Martin's up-and-down coaching ride, with the ex-Saints number nine in the form of his life, arguably, when he called St. Mary's home.
Ings' unbelievable Saints goal return
Ings signing for Leicester will catch the eye, as the 33-year-old has 72 career goals next to his name in the Premier League. If Martin can get him firing in the third tier, Leicester should be near the top of the competitive League One standings.
Amazingly, of the 72 strikes he put away in the top-flight, 41 of those would come about on the South Coast for the ageing attacker, with other stints at Liverpool and West Ham United just not working out for the well-travelled striker.
It all clicked for Ings during the 2019-20 season, in particular, as he hammered home a sublime 22 goals in league action, not missing a single Premier League contest for the Saints in the process.
Ralph Hasenhuttl would regularly wax lyrical about the potent Englishman when he was in charge, noting in January of 2020 that Ings possesses "all the qualities" of a top striker.
Top five goalscorers in the PL (19/20):
Player | Games | Goals |
|---|---|---|
1. Jamie Vardy | 35 | 23 |
2. Pierre Emerick Aubameyang | 36 | 22 |
3. Danny Ings | 38 | 22 |
4. Raheem Sterling | 33 | 20 |
5. Mohamed Salah | 34 | 19 |
He was just off one the golden boot winner for that campaign in the always reliable Jamie Vardy, with his red-hot 22 efforts placing him above the likes of Mohamed Salah and Harry Kane in the pecking order, remarkably.
But, much like Martin, the 33-year-old has suffered from a severe downfall, leaving many to question whether this will be a sensational free agent capture, or a deal that falls flat, as Ings has forgotten his shooting boots.
Will he be a success at Leicester?
Worryingly, Ings' recent goal record leaves a lot to be desired.
While he might've been in the golden boot conversation six years ago, his last three seasons have seen him only put away a dire six strikes from 75 appearances.
Four of those would come about in the Premier League, but Ings was nowhere to be seen when the Hammers were relegated, as he was struggling, again, with Sheffield United, in the Championship.
Safe to say, West Ham fans weren't too bothered about his contract being ripped up, with Joe Cole - who once lined up for the London Stadium titans - noting that he did feel sorry for Ings during his goal-shy stint.
The three-time England international will be praying he can have one final moment in the sun with Leicester and hit double digits for goals again, as the Foxes triumphantly break out of League One, despite all this negativity.
Southampton fans will just be focusing on the current breed of lethal strikers their team has, away from wondering how Ings will fare at Leicester, with Cyle Larin a much-loved figure up top.
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