Hasenhuttl aiming for talisman Ings to sign new Saints contract

Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl is hoping striker Danny Ings will sign a new contract with the club, after calling their current situation ‘something special’.

The Saints have been one of the surprise packages of the Premier League season thus far.

They’ve topped the table for the first time in their history and have won five of their first ten matches.

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Austrian coach Hasenhuttl has been widely praised for what he has achieved with the Saints.

A large part of his success is down to the goalscoring exploits of Ings.

The Englishman has scored five goals in seven Prem matches already.

Hasenhuttl has now urged the striker to extend his time on the south coast.

Speaking to Sky Sports about the player, he said: “It’s normal that you get a situation like he has in a football club, and this is something special I think. I don’t want him to throw this away for a few more monies.

“I speak to him once or twice a month about this topic. We must concentrate on our job here. I don’t speak to him every week about his contract. It’s not my job.

“It’s his responsibility. He has to take the decision. Nobody else. He has to take the decision then live with the fact that he did this or that.”

Ings joined Southampton back in July 2019 for a reported £18 million fee, rising to £20 million based on appearances.

He has since scored 38 goals in 75 games for the club. He’s built up an impressive relationship with teammate Che Adams up front.

However, Ings has been out of the squad since November. He’s received minor surgery on a knee injury and could return on Monday against Brighton.

Speaking about this, Hasenhuttl said: “We must have a look. Yesterday was the first time he was training with the team.

“He looks good. We must look how his body reacts to the training and then we can say more. But it looked good yesterday, yes.”