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It's been a confusing day in the transfer market for Liverpool. News emerged late yesterday that a bid had been lodged for Danny Ings in a sign-and-loan deal that would have seen the English striker stay at Burnley for the rest of the season, which was a bizarre rumor in and of itself, but things have gotten even stranger since then.
Burnley have indeed rejected an offer from Liverpool for £4 million, declaring that they have no intention to sell Ings as he's far more valuable to the club down the stretch of the season as they fight for survival in the Premier League. Even with Ings out of contract this summer, there's £50 million a year in EPL TV rights on the line and Burnley unlikely to be able to adequately replace Ings' abilities up top, that's actually a fairly sensible position to take. It's worth risking Ings on a free if he can help them stay in the Premier League next season.
Far more bizarrely, though, is that Burnley's chairman had to remind the media of a rule they all missed when crafting their transfer stories. "This type of move would violate Premier League rule V7 regarding transfers so simply cannot happen," Lee Hoos told the press in an official statement from the club. For those without a copy of the Premier League Handbook, 2014-15 Edition immediately at hand, Hoos is specifically referring to Premier League Rule V.7.1, which states as follows:
V.7.1. A Temporary Transfer to a [Premier League] Club may not take place in the Transfer Window in which the Transferor Club acquired the Player’s registration.
-Source: Premier League Handbook, 2014-15 Edition
If you don't speak legal-ese, that means that Liverpool can't buy Ings and loan him to any EPL club in the same transfer window, thereby making the move as it was rumored yesterday impossible. That would suggest that Liverpool's offer was actually to bring Ings in to the side immediately, which would make much, much more sense than loaning him out considering the current and future states of affairs for Liverpools strike corps.
Or at least, that's the hope. One would think Ian Ayre or one of his staffers knows that rule. Oh man, I hope they know that rule.
Regardless, this deal seems pretty much dead. Liverpool made an offer, Burnley rejected it, and as their chairman pointed out, they have every incentive to keep Ings despite his dwindling contract. Time to move on to a new target.
