Southampton have been linked with Adam Armstrong recently, and the Blackburn Rovers man could be the ideal heir to Danny Ings in Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side.
According to the Daily Express, the Saints are readying a bid for the former Newcastle United man this summer after his hugely impressive season in the Championship with Tony Mowbray’s side.
The 24-year-old contributed 28 goals and five assists in just 40 Championship appearances, averaging a superb 7.15 rating from WhoScored for his performances, so he certainly seems ready for the step up to the Premier League.
Although previous reports have suggested that Blackburn could demand up to £20m, a recent report from The Telegraph suggests that he would cost just £10m this summer as he is set to enter the final year of his contract at Ewood Park, which makes him a much more realistic option for the Saints as he now fits into Hasenhuttl’s price range.
Would Armstrong be a good heir to Ings?
Yes
No
It also seems likely that he would fit into the Austrian’s style of play should he make the switch to St Mary’s this summer, as he is a quick striker who loves to make runs in behind – similar to the styles of both Che Adams and Ings, who have formed an effective partnership since the Scotland international arrived at the club from Birmingham City.
Ings has been heavily linked with a move away from Southampton ahead of the summer transfer window and has just one year left on his deal at St Mary’s, so an exit certainly seems to be on the cards in the near future for the former Liverpool man.
If Southampton are looking for a long-term heir to the 28-year-old, the Blackburn Rovers star could be the perfect man, with WhoScored suggesting that both Ings and Armstrong’s strengths include their finishing ability, long shots and dribbling.
Mowbray was full of praise for Armstrong earlier in the season, saying: “His explosive pace at the top end of the pitch allows you to play both ways, to not be overly concerned if you’re pinned back around the edge of your box because one pass releases pressure to someone like (Harvey) Elliott to play the pass that he can hit, just leaving it in the space for the speed and dynamic movement of Armstrong — it’s a devastating effect for the team.”
There certainly seems to be a lot of similarities between Ings and Armstrong, and therefore Martin Semmens should definitely try and bring the Blackburn marksman to St Mary’s this summer.
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