Danny Ings Named Early Chelsea Summer Transfer Target

Danny Ings didn't get his move to Liverpool or Real Sociedad on the final day of the January transfer window.

But the Burnley attacker may not mind biding his time now Chelsea are apparently waiting in the wings.

The Premier League leaders are among a host of clubs, including second-placed Manchester City, still tracking Ings ahead of a summer exit. That's according to ESPN FC reporter Peter O'Rourke who states that Ings leaving the Clarets is now inevitable. O'Rourke also claims the 22-year-old could be available for as little as £3 million.

That's a true bargain for a player who has enjoyed a meteoric rise since the start of last season. He scored 21 goals during Burnley's promotion campaign from the Championship in 2013/14, per WhoScored.com. The same site details how Ings has hit seven goals and provided three assists in Premier League action this season.

That form has brought him to the attention of several clubs. In fact, transfer speculation heightened during the final hours of the winter window.

BBC Sport reporter Ian Dennis suggested Ings had signed "pre-contract terms" with La Liga side Sociedad. Burnley chief Sean Dyche felt Ings had become too "affected" by the speculation, per BBC Sport.

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Less a true No. 9 and more a supporting striker or goal-hungry attacking midfielder, Ings combines pace with close control, good touch and intelligence. Those qualities would make him an excellent fit in any top-flight squad, even one as star-studded as Chelsea's.

Manager Jose Mourinho has plenty of options in forward areas, yet he never seems completely satisfied. It's hard to blame him when star striker Diego Costa has durability and disciplinary issues. The free-scoring Spaniard is currently serving a three-match ban for stamping on Liverpool's Emre Can.

Chelsea's cover for Costa is hardly inspiring. Loic Remy's pace and movement are effective, but he's never been the most consistent player. The Frenchman has also had his own trouble staying fit.

Meanwhile, club legend Didier Drogba is now 36 and not far short of retirement, even though he plans to continue playing next season, according to French TV station Telefoot (h/t Metro reporter Vaishali Bhardwaj).

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Further back, attacking midfielder Oscar is supremely gifted but also not the most consistent.

Ings could help and develop at a few key positions up front for the Blues. But there's no denying it would be a big jump from a newly promoted club to one set to remain at, or at least very near, the summit of England's top flight for years to come.

Ings would have to be wary of treading a similar path to the likes of Scott Parker and Shaun Wright-Phillips, touted English prospects who barely left the bench once they moved to Stamford Bridge.

Of course, it may not even become an issue. Ian Herbert and Sam Wallace of The Independent certainly believe it won't. They reported Ings is close to agreeing a summer switch to Liverpool.

Yet it's not difficult to believe Chelsea declaring interest could easily turn his head.

If nothing else, the growing interest in Ings is proof of his rapid development into a top-flight player of some note.