Aston Villa: £25m star could make shock Villa Park exit this summer

Danny Ings could leave Aston Villa this summer, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

The frontman only joined from Southampton in a £25m deal in 2021, but he has struggled to nail down a regular starting place under Steven Gerrard.

When Ings made the shock move from Southampton last summer, it looked like being a fine piece of business from Villa.

However, the 29-year-old has been unable to produce the same sort of goalscoring numbers that made him such a hit on the South Coast.

Ings has scored just five Premier League goals all season, and three of those came in his opening eight appearances.

As a result, Ollie Watkins has often been preferred as Gerrard’s lone striker, while Ings’ lack of form has led to reports linking him with a shock summer switch away from Villa Park.

According to Football Insider, Brighton, who’ve scored the fourth fewest goals in the top-flight this season (28), have set their sights on signing the ex-Liverpool frontman, who will have two years left on his Villa deal this summer.

The report suggests that with Villa expected to be active in the next transfer window, they might have to raise funds elsewhere, with Ings one of those who could be moved on.

He told GIVEMESPORT: “I do think it’s possible or likely even that Villa move on from Ings and are open to offers, but I’m not too sure where he ends up.”

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According to WhoScored, Ings was Villa’s fourth-best performer, with his rating a respectable 6.48.

However, it was generally another game to forget for the frontman, who arguably missed Villa’s two best chances in what was an impressive first half showing.

Overall, he had six shots, which was more than anyone on the pitch,