Wrexham want a new striker or two this summer, that much is clear. But is Danny Ings the right man for the Red Dragons to target?
With Steven Fletcher departing already, and both Paul Mullin and Ollie Palmer at risk of leaving, too, there is definitely room in Phil Parkinson’s squad for a new forward.
While Wrexham have been linked with just about every striker over the age of 30, especially those available on a free transfer from the Premier League, Danny Ings is a name that appears to be a good fit.
So, with a campaign in the second tier ahead, we took a look at Ings’ Championship record to see how he could fare at that level for Wrexham.
Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images
Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images
Danny Ings’ Championship record explained
Ings has been playing Premier League football pretty consistently for the past decade (aside from a rough spell with Liverpool where he made just 14 first-team appearances in three years).
He now has 72 top flight goals to his name from 240 games with the likes of Burnley, Southampton, Aston Villa, and West Ham.
But, looking back, Ings had three seasons in the Championship with Burnley, and managed to rack up 27 goals in 87 matches.
Stats 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14
Games 15 32 40
Minutes 932 1,629 3,539
Goals 3 3 21
Assists 1 1 7
Danny Ings’ Championship record season-by-season
That’s not a bad return (a goal every 3.22 games, to be precise). But, it’s worth noting that in the 2011/12 and 2012/13 campaigns, Ings scored just three goals per season.
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He then went on to bag a massive 21 goals in 2013/14 to propel Burnley to promotion. That skews his data somewhat, but it’s hard to turn your nose up at any striker that can hit 20 or more goals in the Championship.
Photo by Vince Mignott/MB Media/Getty Images
Photo by Vince Mignott/MB Media/Getty Images
Is Danny Ings a good fit for Wrexham?
On paper, Danny Ings would be a brilliant signing for Wrexham. He’s strong, has a natural knack for knowing where the goal is, and offers a bit of versatility in terms of the systems he can play in.
If you put Ings alongside a bigger target man, and have enough service out wide, you’re surely guaranteed to get goals. Thankfully, the Wrexham squad can deliver on those fronts and make it a good environment for Ings to thrive in.
The only issue really, as with a lot of these transfer targets, is the wages. Ings is thought to be on around £125,000 per week (as per Capology), which might be a bit rich even for Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney’s tastes.
Throw in his well-documented injury issues and you’re looking at a very expensive risk. If it pays off, though, Wrexham could have an extra 15-20 goals in their ranks.