OPINION
Newcastle United must reignite their previously reported interest in Liverpool’s Danny Ings as the 25-year-old would find his scoring boots again if he had Jonjo Shelvey feeding him chances.
The Magpies enquired about accquiring Ings’ services in January, as reported by the Chronicle, but the centre-forward opted to stay at Anfield as he was determined to make it work at his current club.
However even though he has featured under Jurgen Klopp in recent weeks, as he’s finally looking like he’s able to avoid injury, the 25-year-old is still no doubt facing the prospect of his first-team chances being limited next season.
Ings has featured in four of the Reds’ last seven league games, never completing 90 minutes, and has only grabbed one goal in his outings.
The 25-year-old has still struggled to be clinical in front of goal in his appearances, missing some notable opportunities, and the misfiring hitman could do with being regularly played.
If exposed to first-team football every week, for 90 minutes at a time, Ings could rediscover his scoring boots.
The 2014/15 season when he was at Burnley saw him get his best goal return in the Premier League to date, with him grabbing 11 goals in 35 league appearances.
That Burnley side were hardly the most free-flowing attacking side you ever saw, so for a forward to be able to grab 11 goals in their outings was impressive.
With Ings being only 25-year-old, there’s still hope he will completely overcome the bad injuries that have severely plagued his Anfield career and be a success at the club.
But there’s plenty of time for that to happen with him contracted to the Reds until 2020, and Klopp must be aware after watching him this season, he won’t improve without consistent games.
The Reds must push on for major honours next season and can’t simply play a forward with the player’s interest in mind rather than the team’s, and this all means the Magpies could convince Ings and the Reds to sanction a loan move.
The 25-year-old might be more open to moving to St James’ Park on a temporary basis as it could benefit his Reds career on a long-term basis.
Especially if Ings has been paying attention to the Magpies this season as midfielder Shelvey has constantly put chances on a plate for his teammates, with his sublime passing ability, only for them not to take them.
The current Reds forward is more than capable of converting Shelvey’s passes and would be clinical if they were able to link-up at the club.
The Magpies are in needed of securing a player capable of scoring goals, as that’s let them down this season, and Ings certainly fits the bill.
Therefore Benitez’s side must reignite their previously reported interest in the misfiring hitman as he would be exactly what they need as he would put away the chances Shelvey would create.
