The seemingly inevitable has occurred, with Liverpool today confirming that out of contract Burnley striker Danny Ings has agreed a deal to make the switch to Anfield on 1 July subject to a medical, leaning, and pretending to sign a contract for the cameras that has already been signed.
Ings is the second player to agree a deal with Liverpool within the week after James Milner settled on terms to arrive on a Bosman four days ago, and he becomes the first striker to join the club this summer. The 22-year-old scored 11 league goals and registered four assists as one of the Clarets few bright spots in their unsuccessful fight against relegation in the 2014/15 Premier League season. This form earned him a place in the England Under-21 squad for the European Championship finals in the Czech Republic alongside Harry Kane and Saido Berahino.
A fee has yet to be agreed for the former Southampton trainee, but Ings' current club has confirmed that talks are ongoing for the player who has scored 43 goals in 130 games since joining them for £1 million from Bournemouth in 2011. His current club have suggested they would expect to receive around £7M if his case went to tribunal, while Liverpool have hoped he might cost as little as £3M. An agreement between the two clubs, if it can be reached, would obviate the need for a third party to decide the amount to pay for Ings.
"We have rejected an offer made by Liverpool, but will continue to have dialogue with the club in order to reach a resolution over the fee," was Burnley's statement in response to today's news that Ings will officially head to Liverpool at the start of the month.