Arsenal have been urged by former defender Martin Keown to purse the signing of Danny Ings should Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang depart the club in the summer.
The Gunners’ captain has just a year remaining on his current deal at the Emirates Stadium, and a decision over his future is reported to be uncertain. Aubameyang is said to be reluctant to continue talks with the club especially after missing out on a Champions League spot once a again, and now fighting for a place in the Europa League.
Ings on the other hand is enjoying the form of his life in the 2019/20 campaign with Southampton. The England international has hit top gear under the management of Ralph Hasenhuttl, which has triggered Keown to call on his former employers to prioritise signing the former Liverpool striker to fill the potential void of Aubameyang.
Speaking to talkSPORT, Keown said: “Danny Ings has been outstanding. He presses really well, he’s hard working, Southampton are lucky to have him. He could slot in anywhere, there would be a lot of clubs that would be interested in this fella if he became available. He’s doing it now at the highest level.
“If Aubameyang left would Arsenal be an option? When you’ve got 20 goals to your name then everybody is interested in you, especially if suddenly you need a striker. There’s no doubt the top clubs will be really interested in what he does and he’s still young enough to get better and develop.
“I would rather have Aubameyang, but if Aubameyang is gone you need goals, you’ve got to have players in your team that give you belief you will win games, and Ings is one of those. So yeah, I don’t think I’d be turning him away. I’d be definitely looking at him as a player Arsenal should be interested in.”
Both Aubameyand and Ings are in the race for this season’s Golden Boot, with the pair scoring 20 goals each, three behind leader Jamie Vardy with two games to go.
