---
title: "Squad number change means Villa won’t upgrade Ings [Opinion]"
canonical: "https://readastonvilla.com/2022/07/29/squad-number-change-means-aston-villa-wont-upgrade-danny-ings/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Crippy Cooke"
section: "Aston Villa News"
published: "2022-07-29T18:57:07Z"
modified: "2022-07-29T18:57:08Z"
---

# Squad number change means Villa won’t upgrade Ings \[Opinion\]

Aston Villa [announced](https://twitter.com/AVFCOfficial/status/1553022577362321409) on Friday afternoon that Danny Ings would wear the #9 shirt for the 2022/23 campaign. The 30-year-old wore the #20 short upon his arrival from Southampton last summer, but he’s been given a show of faith by Steven Gerrard that may also double as a message to supporters.

Ings had an uncertain future months ago as Gerrard was believed to be in the market for a new striker. Keinan Davis was expected to be sold to Nottingham Forest while Cameron Archer wasn’t deemed ready for the first-team, so Villa needed another centre-forward in case Ings was sold, as Ollie Watkins would be the only attacker left.

But with Villa making Ings their #9 for the new season, it doesn’t appear Gerrard will push for another striker. Instead, he will hold out hope that the England international can register a better tally than last season ([30 Premier League games](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/danny-ings/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/134294), 7 goals). *Read Aston Villa* maintained that Gerrard would find it difficult to replace Ings, as they wouldn’t have many suitors.

Villa paid [£25m](https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11677/12372804/danny-ings-aston-villa-sign-southampton-forward-for-undisclosed-fee) for the 30-year-old and handed him a three-year deal worth [£120k-per-week](https://www.spotrac.com/epl/aston-villa-fc/danny-ings-22849/), so few clubs would consider that value for money. Gerrard has to hope he can replicate his 22 goals in 38 games from 2019/20 because he isn’t going anywhere.

***[In other news, Aston Villa ‘rejected’ bid from Newcastle for Douglas Luiz](https://readastonvilla.com/2022/07/29/aston-villa-rejected-bid-from-newcastle-for-douglas-luiz/)***