BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 28: Steve Bruce manager of Aston Villa looks on prior to the Sky Bet Championship match between Aston Villa and Bristol City at Villa Park on February 28, 2017 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
Aston Villa should target Danny Ings loan deal in January
Aston Villa need help up front and Liverpool’s Danny Ings could be the ideal player for the club to bring in on loan in January.
Steve Bruce’s side have been struck by an unlucky string of injuries that has seen the club’s top three strikers sidelined.
Scott Hogan, Gabriel Agbonlahor and Jonathan Kodjia are all out with injuries and the latter is expected to miss the remainder of the current campaign.
19-year-old Keinan Davis has been relied upon as the club’s only striker, making 14 appearances and scoring twice in the Championship.
But if the club hopes to continue their positive run, which has seen them climb to 4th in the league, then more help is needed in the attacking third.
Liverpool striker Ings, 25, is returning from back-to-back injuries that have seen him fail to make a Premier League appearance since May 2016.
This season, he has been working his way back to full fitness with the club’s Under-23s.
He has played eight matches in Premier League 2, picking up a goal and an assist in the process.
He has played 90 minutes in the majority of matches he has played for the Under-23s and even picked up four goals and two assists in his team’s 7-0 romp over Bristol City U23s in the Premier League Cup.
If the one-time England international hopes to break back into the Liverpool first-team, however, he will need to pick up valuable first-team game time.
The 25-year-old striker was once prolific in the Championship, scoring 21 in 40 games in the 2013/14 season for Burnley, and even picked up 11 goals in the top-tier before moving to Merseyside.
Injuries have delayed his progress at the top-level, so a drop back into the second tier could be the perfect move as he aims to return to full fitness and put himself back into the mind of Jurgen Klopp.
Currently, Ings isn’t likely to threaten the likes of Mo Salah or even Daniel Sturridge – who has also found himself on the bench more often than not in recent weeks.
A spell with a club such as Aston Villa, managed by a manager such as Steve Bruce could do Ings the world of good whilst also helping the promotion-pushers a great deal.
The team are in good form and are now targeting promotion with a real belief that it can be achieved this time of asking.
Agbonlahor and Hogan are expected to return at some stage this season and will provide better depth for Bruce, but having another player in that mix will make life even easier for the Villains boss.
A boost in confidence and regular first-team football could see Ings return to goalscoring ways and see Aston Villa continue to stake a claim at the top-end of the Championship.
The club’s owner, Dr Tony Xia, has stated recently that loan deals will be the target in January, so the club should strongly consider the likes of Ings to help bolster their thin striking options.
