After the horrendous season that saw them getting knocked out of the Champions League group stage and flatter to deceive, Liverpool have already started rebuilding with their second signing of the season, Danny Ings became the second English player to join the club after they captured James Milner earlier.
The 22-year-old from Burnley joins Liverpool as a free agent, but the club would have to pay Burnley compensation since he is under 24-years-old. Ings scored 11 goals last season with 4 assists in a losing cause as Burnley suffered relegation, it was only a matter of time before the young striker was to move away from Burnley and join a Premier League club but how will he fit at Liverpool?
Young, raw but an exciting talent
Danny is still young and that seems to be the norm for Liverpool to sign players, they want to get young players in and then are willing to develop them. Raheem Sterling, Coutinho and Henderson all have grown during their time at the club and Ings will be doing the same when he does join up with his teammates.
Ings also is a better striker than the other Liverpool forwards, barring Daniel Sturridge, who was injured for most part of the season, Liverpool’s striker force combined to scored just 4 goals in the Premier League. Lambert, Borini and Balotelli were collective flops for the club and Ings, while not a name that strikes fear into the hearts of the opposition, can still do a great job for the club.
Ings has great movement in and around the penalty box as well, something that is a requirement when playing for a Rodgers side. Work rate and energy are also parts of his game, but the question would be how would he fit into the system at Liverpool?
Currently the Reds play with just one striker, signing Ings provides Liverpool with a ton of striker options. They already have Sturridge, Lambert, Borini and Balotelli, while they will get Divock Origi from his loan spell from Lille. That would probably ensure that Liverpool play with 2 strikers up front, that was when they were scoring a lot of goals the season before with Suarez and Sturridge. Sure, Ings isn’t a Suarez but the requirement for goals will ensure that Liverpool do not go through next season with just one striker up top.
Daniel Sturridge is guaranteed a starting spot once he is fit, Origi and Ings would be fighting for the second spot up front and it should be Ings partnering the Englishman as Liverpool hope to get their mojo back this season.