David Moyes may not have been everyone’s cup of tea at West Ham United, but no one can deny how much he transformed them during his spell, notably steering the club to European glory in 2023.
With Julen Lopetegui under some pressure, was moving Moyes on perhaps a tad hasty? Of course, feelings are mixed regarding the former manager, especially with some of his final few signings in charge.
David Moyes’ wayward 2023 summer window
James Ward-Prowse cost the club £30m last summer from Southampton but failed to live up to this fee at the London Stadium and was loaned to Nottingham Forest ahead of the current campaign.
Kalvin Phillips joined in January 2024 on a loan deal from Manchester City, with the Irons paying a loan fee and covering his wages during this temporary spell. The Englishman made just ten appearances for the club in what was a disastrous signing by Moyes.
One of his worst pieces of transfer business, especially in terms of value for money, was spending £15m to sign Danny Ings from Aston Villa.
Danny Ings’ West Ham statistics
Ings was fairly critical of his time at Villa Park, dubbing his maiden season in the Midlands as “underwhelming” after scoring just seven goals in 30 appearances for the club.
Although Moyes needed some more attacking reinforcements when he signed Ings nearly two years ago, the English striker was hardly going to be prolific under him.
Danny Ings’ stats in the Premier League for West Ham – 2024/25 | |
|---|---|
Goals | 1 |
Minutes | 55 |
Total shots per game | 0.8 |
Total duels won per game | 2.8 |
Possession lost per game | 1.5 |
Key passes per game | 0.3 |
Indeed, during his first six months, the former Liverpool centre-forward managed to score just two Premier League goals across 17 matches.
The 2023/24 campaign – his first full season at West Ham – was somehow even worse. Ings started only three times in the top flight, scoring a solitary goal against Burnley, a team who would be relegated.
It is clear that his time in London has been dismal. Ings was arguably one of Moyes’ worst-ever signings for the Irons, especially over his final 18 months in charge.
The Englishman’s market value has, unsurprisingly, dropped drastically since he moved to the club in January 2023.
Danny Ings market value at West Ham
Paying £15m for a striker who was clearly past their best was a terrible error of judgement by Moyes and the club are now paying for this move.
Indeed, according to Football Transfers, Ings is currently worth just €1.8m (£1.5m), which represents a major dip from the fee the club shelled out for him a little over 18 months ago.
His contract expires at the end of the season, but will West Ham be able to sell him in January? Especially considering how low his value is at this moment in time.
If not, he will likely be released next summer, with the club wasting money on paying his wages even though he is failing to contribute.
Market Movers
Football FanCast’s Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club’s star player or biggest flop worth today?
The 33-year-old has scored just once this term from six appearances, starting only one of those games as Lopetegui prefers the likes of Michail Antonio to be unleashed in the starting XI.
There is no doubt Ings has been one of the worst signings the club has made recently, costing them a fortune in the process.
Related
West Ham eyeing Lopetegui upgrade with “one of the best styles” in Europe
West Ham could make a managerial change should they lose in the Premier League this weekend.
