Liverpool striker Ings seals Southampton switch

Southampton has signed Danny Ings from Liverpool on an initial loan deal with an obligation to buy.

Liverpool forward Danny Ings has joined fellow Premier League club Southampton on a season-long loan, with the deal including an obligation to buy.

Ings had been deemed surplus to requirements by Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, but looked set to stay on at Anfield after a reported switch to Crystal Palace failed to materialise.

However, Southampton moved for the former Burnley man on Thursday, with the paperwork completed in time to beat the deadline, and Ings joins on a one-season loan ahead of a permanent transfer next year.

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The England international became Southampton's fourth transfer of the window and manager Mark Hughes is thrilled to have secured the 26-year-old.

"There was significant competition for Danny, with a lot of clubs keen to complete a deal for him, so we're clearly delighted that he chose to join us," Hughes told Southampton's official website .

"He didn't get to play as much as he would have liked at Liverpool, but he has been injury-free for some time now and has a real point to prove."

Ings signed for Liverpool in 2015, but a cruciate ligament rupture restricted his game time, and he scored just four Premier League goals during his three-year stint on Merseyside.

"It is a very strange feeling saying goodbye to Danny. The biggest emotion is how much we will miss him," Klopp told Liverpool's website .

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"He is such an outstanding boy. Honestly, if you could bottle character and spirit, his would sell worldwide - he is so incredibly positive and full of energy. But, we won't just miss his character because he is a footballer who has all the tools."

"What is clear is that in his time here he had zero luck really, certainly in my time. Before joining, I tried to watch as many games on tape as I could from the season so far, and Danny Ings stood out as someone I was really looking forward to coaching."

"We all know his story and the bad luck he has had since then. It's why the other emotion is that of being pleased for Danny that he has such a good move and his future is now very bright."