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Will Danny Ings' Fee Break Tribunal Record?

Burnley's chief executive seems to think that the fee for former striker Danny Ings will break the transfer tribunal record in English football.

Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images

Danny Ings made a good impression before he was ruled out for the season with three goals in eight appearances. The 23-year-old's contract expired at Burnley last summer, but unfortunately for all involved, there was no resolution between Liverpool and Burnley on an appropriate fee for the player's services.

The player signed for Liverpool in June 2015 with a fee yet to be agreed, and in October there were rumours that an England debut would drive the eventual fee north of £10 million. It's now March, and to date, there has been no decision made on how much Liverpool should pay.

Liverpool have signed a player but not paid a single penny for his registration for over eight months. If anyone is wondering why it has taken so long for a decision to be made, Dave Baldwin -- Burnley's chief executive and presumably reliable ITK -- has the inside track.

"The reason it is different to the ordinary is this tribunal claim will be the biggest in history," Dave Baldwin declared with much understatement. "The key to this was that we bring the claim against Liverpool, therefore we had to prepare an extremely robust case.

"You're talking a documentation bundle of probably in excess of 400 or 500 pages with witness statements, evidence, analytics about player performance, the statement as to why we make a judgement as to what we believe the player is worth, compared to what Liverpool want to offer. You get your ducks in a row and do the job right."

The record tribunal transfer fee was for Liverpool's very own Daniel Sturridge in 2009 when he joined Chelsea from Manchester City for £6.5 million. It's unlikely that Danny Ings would go for less than that, but Burnley probably need the money after being relegated from the Premier League last season. Parachute payments can only go so far!

"The value is based on training compensation, not the market value of a player," Burnley's chief executive continued. "It's how long you have that player at your club, what did you do to develop him, what were your investments in how you developed him and as a result of that what player did you produce at the point he departed your club.

"Thereafter, his injury should bear no relevance to the tribunal panel. We are dealing with five human beings here who have to make an opinion and no right to appeal."

How much did Burnley put into a player who signed for them in 2011 -- four years before he moved on to Liverpool -- from Bournemouth? Thereafter, his England cap should bear no relevance to the tribunal panel going by Baldwin's own words.

The Danny Ings tribunal transfer fee saga looks set to continue. In the meantime, Liverpool have the player and Burnley don't have any money for a player that was nurtured and developed.

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