Ings hopes to make the most of ‘special’ return to Saints

LONDON: Southampton striker Danny Ings is happy with the lastminute move to his boyhood club and is eager to prove himself following testing times at Premier League rivals Liverpool.

The 26-year-old, who trained at Saints’ former centre of excellence at Wellington Sports Ground as a schoolboy, returned to Southampton on a season-long loan on deadline day, having failed to make an impact in three years at Liverpool.

“It does (feel special) and now I’ve just got to prove my worth,” Ings told the Daily Echo.

“It’s not just about being a local boy here, I’m here to improve and do as well as I can for the fans and for the team.

“Considering all the stuff I went through I’ve never lost belief, it was just about getting fit. Last season I was fit all year. The opportunities were hard to come by with the strikers at Liverpool but that’s football.

“I’m just glad I can come here and prove myself now.”

Ings made his Southampton debut as a second half substitute in Sunday’s 0-0 draw with Burnley in the league.

Southampton travel to Everton this weekend.

Meanwhile, former Arsenal shareholder Alisher Usmamov has refused to rule out investing in Everton, saying that he would be ‘happy to help’ friend Farhad Moshiri.

Usmanov, Russia’s eighth richest man, last week agreed to sell his 30 per cent stake in Arsenal to rival Stan Kroenke in a deal that valued the north London club at around £1.8 billion (RM9.4 billion).

His holding company, USM, already sponsor Everton’s Finch Farm training ground, and with fellow business partner Moshiri currently major shareholder at Goodison, Usmanov has hinted that he would be open to the move.

“When I bought the stake in Arsenal I believed that football brands would be able to generate profit,” he told Bloomberg. “This is happening now.

“We are friends with Farhad Moshiri. If he needs the support, I am happy to help.”

It is understood that Usmanov would want to wield significantly more influence at any new club than he was afforded at Arsenal, where he was routinely thwarted by Kroenke.

He also intimated that other clubs in Germany and Italy could be on his radar.

Usmanov, 64, made his fortune in iron-ore production and telecommunications, and has a personal fortune of around £11 billion.

He spent 11 years at Arsenal before selling to American Kroenke in a controversial move that has angered some Gunners fans.