Is Burnley's Danny Ings a Realistic Transfer Target for Arsenal?

When Arsenal travel to Burnley this weekend, they will have to be on their guard against Danny Ings.

The England U21 forward has been in terrific form this season. Many strikers in the past have struggled to make the step up from the Championship to the top tier, but Ings has had no such problems. He’s grabbed an impressive nine Premier League goals to date and is the spearhead of Burnley’s survival hopes.

Whatever Burnley’s eventual fate, Ings seems certain to remain in the Premier League in 2015/16. His contract expires at the end of the season, and there is no sign of an impending renewal. However, talk of his next move does not seem to have distracted Ings, who has taken to top-flight football with remarkable ease.

According to the Daily Star (h/t the Mirror), Ings is weighing up a move to either Manchester United or Liverpool. However, should Arsenal enter the mix?

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In some ways, Ings seems to fit Arsene Wenger’s preferred profile for signings. He’s young and British, and in recent years, the Arsenal boss has set about establishing a homegrown core at the heart of his squad.

Ings is an intelligent striker who would thrive in the Arsenal front three. His speed and smart movement would make him a suitable roving target for the perspicacious passing of Mesut Ozil and Santi Cazorla. With respect to Burnley, Ings’ goal tally would doubtless improve were he to turn out for a side at the top end of the Premier League.

However, there is no immediate need for Ings at Arsenal. The Gunners have plenty of options at centre-forward: Olivier Giroud is in the form of his life, while Danny Welbeck is waiting in the wings behind him. Although Ings is undoubtedly a player of considerable potential, it’s difficult to see him breaking in to the Arsenal first team.

Let’s not forget, Arsenal also have two young centre-forwards out on loan. French youth international Yaya Sanogo is expected to return from a temporary spell at Crystal Palace. Wenger has enormous faith in Sanogo and has started him in several big games in his short Arsenal career, so the Gunners boss would presumably be loath to block his path to the first team with another striker signing.

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Then there’s Chuba Akpom. The talented teenager signed a new contract with Arsenal in January before joining Nottingham Forest on a short-term deal until the end of the season. However, next season he will be back at the Emirates Stadium and looking to build on the three Premier League appearances he managed during this campaign.

Ings is a fine talent, but his future doesn’t lie at Arsenal. Even a starring display in front of Wenger this weekend would be unlikely to change that.

James McNicholas is Bleacher Report's lead Arsenal correspondent and is following the club from a London base throughout the 2014-15 season. Follow him on Twitter here.