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Aston Villa to pay £25 million to sign Danny Ings from Southampton

Danny Ings of Southampton looks on during the Premier League match between Southampton and Leeds United at St Mary's Stadium on May 18, 2021 in Southampton, England. - GETTY IMAGES
Danny Ings of Southampton looks on during the Premier League match between Southampton and Leeds United at St Mary's Stadium on May 18, 2021 in Southampton, England. - GETTY IMAGES

Aston Villa have agreed to pay Southampton a fee of £25 million - plus £5 million in potential add-ons - for the striker Danny Ings, with negotiations over price completed within a day in order to secure a deal before the departure from Villa Park of Jack Grealish.

Ings headed to the West Midlands on Wednesday night to conclude the deal after the two clubs agreed a fee for him, having previously clashed over a Villa bid for Saints midfielder James Ward-Prowse that was firmly rejected by Southampton. The two clubs are understood to have been in contact from Sunday onwards over the deal for Ings which was concluded swiftly, with the 29-year-old now joining the highest earners at Villa on a three-year deal with an extra one-year as an option.

The £25 million fee represents a good deal for Southampton and their chief executive Martin Semmens who recognised that they would not be able to persuade Ings to sign a new deal with just 11 months left on his current contract. Ings indicated in January that he was keen on pushing for a move to a Champions League club this summer and would not be renewing with Saints. Although that move did not materialise in the end, Ings has secured his place among Villa’s highest earners. There was also strong interest in him from Tottenham Hotspur who would not meet his contract expectations

The add-on year on Ings’ Villa contract Park is performance related and would potentially take him to within a month of his 33rd birthday at Villa. The Villa hierarchy have an ambitious outlook on the season, having also secured the signings of Emi Buendia and Leon Bailey this summer, and want to push on for the top six.

Dean Smith, the Villa head coach, said: "Danny is an outstanding Premier League footballer who has scored goals wherever he has played. He is also a top professional with a great character who will be a leader in our squad and a role model for our rapidly developing young academy players who are now in and around the first team."