Southampton striker Danny Ings has been backed to thrive under Pep Guardiola as he would score more than Manchester City duo Gabriel Jesus and Sergio Aguero.
That's according to former Aston Villa man Darren Bent, who believes that Ings could step up at City should Aguero leave in the summer.
Ings, 28, has had a career revival since he moved to Southampton from Liverpool in 2018 (first on loan before a permeant deal in 2019).
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The England international has scored nine times and registered three assists for the Saints in 25 appearances this season.
City have been linked with Borussia Dortmund star Erling Haaland, but Ings has emerged as a cheaper alternative as the Southampton star's contract expires next summer.
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According to talkSPORT, Southampton are eager to sign Ings to a new deal and are ready to make him the highest-paid player in the club's history on £100,000-a-week wages.
However, the publication added that talks over the new deal have stalled over a £20m release clause.
Bent has hailed Ings as an "unbelievable finisher" and insisted that the "only thing that would put people off this signing is snobbery."
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The 37-year-old former striker explained: "If you're talking about someone replacing Aguero, it's virtually impossible, you're not going to find someone who can come in and do what he has done at that club.
"But I really like the idea of Danny Ings going there, I think he's a very, very good centre-forward and he's been brilliant over the last couple of seasons. He has been plagued by injuries, but I think he'd do a job there.
"You put him around better players who create so many opportunities, he is an unbelievable finisher, really, really good finisher, so if you put him in situations where he can score goal, I can guarantee you he'd score more goals in that team than Gabriel Jesus.
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"The only thing that would put people off this signing is snobbery. Fans probably think they should be going for players like Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland, but signing a player of Ings' quality is a no-brainer.
"He's a proven goalscorer in the Premier League and if I was at Man City, I'd get him in now, get someone like him in the door for decent money, and then go after your Haalands or your Mbappes."
Bent also suggested that City wouldn't be the only club trying to land Ings in the summer as he believes that Tottenham could make a move amid uncertainty surrounding Harry Kane's future.
The former Spurs striker added: "Other teams will want him, 100 per cent, and one club for me personally that will have to look at him seriously is Tottenham.
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"Because at the end of the season, if they don't win anything, I can see Harry Kane going, 'Enough is enough, I need to move on.'
"And if Kane does go, I think Danny Ings would be the perfect replacement.
"I don't think it's a case of just Manchester City coming for him, I genuinely think they'll be four or five teams -- someone for that quality for cheap? I can see a number of top teams in the Premier League going for Danny Ings."
Featured Image Credit: PATopics: Gabriel Jesus, Manchester City, Sergio Aguero, Danny Ings, Southampton, Premier League, England, Darren Bent