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Agreement is a rarity when it comes to transfers at the best of times, but Liverpool’s strong interest in Danny Ings really has divided the Reds fanbase. As always when a player is linked, there is no middle ground – the move is either a stroke of genius or an obvious mistake.

It should come as no surprise Ings is being torn between the two. Despite having over four months to be accustomed to the idea – Liverpool tried to bring him to Merseyside on a cut-price deal in January – those against his signing are apprehensive and even apoplectic at the possibility.

Relegation with Burnley means a potential move to Anfield is a step closer, but what are the pros and cons in Brendan Rodgers bringing Ings to the club?

PROS

He fits “the profile” and Ings can only get better

Ings is 22, seems open to improvement and is available at a very good price. Technically a Bosman with his contract expiring this summer, the club would still have to pay a fee based on a tribunal, but it would cost far less than a normal deal would.

For a club intent on extracting as much value from their signings as possible, bringing in a young English striker on the verge of a call-up to the England squad this season makes sense. The Reds deviated from their “profile” last summer when bringing in Mario Balotelli and Rickie Lambert; Ings, on the other hand, would be a risk-free acquisition with the potential of becoming a bargain.

His wages wouldn’t be astronomical, either. Both on and off the pitch, he is a signing that makes sense.

He scores goals – in a side that doesn’t create

It’s an obvious issue when assessing a goalscorer, but needs reiterating: Ings scores goals. He scored 20 in 40 in the Championship last season, and now has 10 this season, his maiden season in the Premier League.

That averages out to a successful strike every 285 minutes, almost one-in-three. That is not a bad return for a side who have created over 100 fewer chances than Liverpool over the course of the season – or, per game, nearly three more chances.

Sean Dyche’s side have not been defensive, and have won plaudits for their no-fear approach to life in the top-flight, but he would be supplied with far more chances at Anfield.

With a shot accuracy of 41%, Ings would have to improve in front of goal, as well. His goal against Hull at the weekend was also his first in three months – although that could be put down to the distractions that came with speculation around his future.

But the quality of chances he’s being offered would also be better; the theory is he would provide an even better scoring rate for the Reds.

Liverpool need a striker to hit the ground running

Daniel Sturridge will not be available at the start of the season. Mario Balotelli, Rickie Lambert and Fabio Borini may not even be at the club. That leaves, as things stand, Divock Origi would be the only fit striker at the club, and he has yet to kick a ball for the club.

Ings, however, knows the league. He’s scored against Manchester United and Everton. More crucially, perhaps, he notches routinely against sides struggling in the bottom half, including Hull, QPR and Newcastle. How Rodgers would have wanted a striker who could do that at the Hawthorns, against West Brom, and at the KC Stadium.

And although Ings has no experience in Europe, he would offer a further option in the Europa League, too. A player you can rely upon in all competitions will allow for rotation.

He’s versatile

Ings is a real all-rounder, it seems. Of his 10 goals this season, four have been with his right foot, three have come from his left; the other three have been headers. All 10, incidentally, were struck from inside the box.

He is someone who can score goals in any way – within range, at least. Those predatory instincts are something Liverpool have lacked throughout the season in the absence of Sturridge.

He can create, too. He accounts for almost 10% of chances Burnley have made this season, with 30 created – a decent effort for a player primarily tasked with scoring goals.

CONS

Liverpool need more than that up front

The Liverpool attack has been the biggest factor behind the club’s climb from second to fifth this season. Most teams would struggle after selling Luis Suarez and dealing with Sturridge’s injuries, but failing to deal with that issue in terms of replacements is the biggest mistake of all.

To sign Ings would only further compound their malaise up front. He is a good player with potential to improve, no doubt, but Liverpool simply need something better.

Assuming there is to be a bigger summer clear out at Anfield in terms of strikers, and with the further assumption Liverpool need four strikers, Ings would be one of three spots taken up along with Sturridge and Origi.

That would leave the club with just one more spot to fill and, given the inexperience of Origi and injury-prone nature of Sturridge, that could be the wrong decision.

He doesn’t score enough goals and the Reds can’t gamble on potential

Liverpool have to find 52 goals from somewhere next year. Rodgers was keen to stress, after the sterile 0-0 draw at West Brom in April, how taking those Suarez and Sturridge strikes out of the team saw them in this position.

He must source those goals from somewhere and Sturridge will not be available until, at least, September. Origi could be anything, but more than likely a young player finding his feet in a new league after scoring eight goals in Ligue 1.

Ings has scored 10 goals and could build on that, but Liverpool need a guaranteed 20-goal striker, or risk repeating the problems of this season.

Not a statement of intent

It is not fair and it is not right, but Ings would not be a signing to signal the strength of Liverpool’s hand in the transfer market.

In the modern era, things like this matter, for some reason. Of course, the maniacal cries of social media should not dictate if the club sign a player or not, but he would not be an arrival to excite many. Solid and steady came last summer and has led to plenty of criticism.

Liverpool need higher-profile players to capture the imagination – and show Europe they mean business.

The Borini factor

Ings has scored 10 goals for a side who have spent most of the season threatened by relegation, catching the eye with energetic performances.

It sounds a little like Fabio Borini’s loan spell at Sunderland, when the Italian scored seven at the Black Cats last season.

Plenty has been discussed about Borini, but one thing is clear: the club, and Rodgers, do not think he is of the required standard to play for Liverpool.

There is a danger Ings would become the latest player to be looked at, signed and then disposed of – and so the cycle continues.