West Ham hope to have Danny Ings deal completed so he can play v Everton – Dharmesh Sheth
West Ham hope to have Danny Ings deal completed so he can make his debut against former suitors Everton on Saturday, according to Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth.
Sky Sports [19 January] claim that the Hammers have completed the signing of the 30-year-old Aston Villa striker, with an official announcement of the move set to follow.
Ings has been linked with a move to Goodison Park this month, with TEAMtalk journalist Harry Watkinson [5 January] stating that the Toffees were considering making a permanent transfer bid for the proven Premier League goalscorer.
Now latest development on the Ings could well prove a potentially damaging blow for the Toffees and Frank Lampard.
According to Sheth on his personal Twitter account, he revealed that Hammers have agreed a £15m deal for the former Southampton striker, and are hoping to get it done before Everton play West Ham on Saturday.
He tweeted [19 January]: “West Ham have agreed a deal to sign Danny Ings from Aston Villa. Fee is understood to be £12m + £3m in add one. Ings will have a medical and finalise personal terms. West Ham hopeful of getting it done in time for him to feature against Everton on Saturday. WHUFC AVFC Ings.”
Damaging
Fellow relegation rivals West Ham completing a deal to sign former Toffees target Ings could well come as a damaging blow to Lampard’s chances of firstly, getting a result on Saturday, and more crucially, steering clear of the relegation places in the coming weeks.
With both teams struggling for goals down at the bottom, they desperately needed proven goalscorers.
While the Blues are struggling to acquire their own attacking reinforcements this month, the Hammers have only gone and signed one of the best strikers in the league – someone Everton were willing to pay top dollar for previously.
It comes as a potential banana skin for Lampard, and a real slap in the face.
It would be even more damaging for the Toffees if Ings makes his debut at the London Stadium on Saturday and scores the winner to take the East London outfit out of the relegation places and sink Lampard’s men even further into the drop zone.
The Everton faithful will be absolutely livid at these latest developments, and will only heighten the unrest and anger towards the incompetent Toffees board. Yet again, a rival club have beaten the club to a potential top-class signing.