Of the four players confirmed to be leaving West Ham United at the end of the 2024/25 Premier League season, it’s fair to say the departure of one will not be the source of many Hammers tears.
Lukasz Fabianski, Vladimir Coufal and Aaron Cresswell will stroll into the South London sunset after a combined 23 years and over 750 West Ham United appearances.
A trio of Europa Conference League winners. Three loyal, long-serving veterans who, even during the hardest of times at the London Stadium, consistently led by example while many of their more expensively-assembled teammates failed to live up to their end of the bargain.
As for Danny Ings, the tendency may be to replace a heartfelt ‘goodbye’ with a huffy ‘good riddance’. Such has been the striker’s impact – or a lack thereof – in a claret and blue shirt.
Jarrod Bowen pays Danny Ings tribute with West Ham exit confirmed
Two and a half years since West Ham stumped up £12 million to take the former England international away from Aston Villa, Ings has mustered a miserly eleven Premier League starts and only four goals.
In all competitions, five goals in 69 appearances.
Given West Ham have a long-standing reputation for failing to get the best out of their centre-forwards, Ings’ highly-forgettable spell in the capital only adds to the ‘striker curse’ myth which continues to hang above the London Stadium.
Yet, while memorable moments on the pitch are few and far between, Graham Potter cannot speak highly enough of Danny Ings’ professionalism behind the scenes.
Captain Jarrod Bowen made a similar point after Sunday’s 2-0 victory at Manchester United. Ings might not be missed by the supporters, but his departure creates a sizeable void in the dressing room.
“[Cresswell and Fabianski] are players in the changing room who have been here longer than I have. Then, Vlad came in a similar time to me [in January 2020], and Ingsy is such a big character in the dressing room as well,” Bowen explains.
Bowen and Max Kilman agree on Ings’ importance
Ings was not even part of Potter’s squad for the trip to Old Trafford. Cresswell played the full 90-plus minutes, however, while Coufal delivered a typically tigerish performance off the bench late on.
“The performances that Cress and Vladi put in today were a credit to themselves, really, and in the way that they’ve trained and applied themselves every single day,” adds Bowen, who found the net away to Man United at the sixth time of asking.
“They are top professionals, top friends, top teammates. You wouldn’t know they’ve had disappointing news this week.
“Having that moment that the fans gave them at the end as well is really special for them because they’re embedded in this Club as well, and they’ve achieved a lot with this Club. It’s going to be a sad day when they go.
“Like I said, it’s always a difficult time when you lose friends as well as teammates as well, but, I think their attitudes coming into training every single day, supporting the lads, going out and playing 90 minutes and winning today, it’s a full credit to themselves.”
Defender Max Kilman, helping West Ham keep a first clean sheet in nine Premier League matches alongside Cresswell and Coufal, was also keen to highlight Ings’ vocal presence in the ranks with all four departures set to represent ‘a big loss’ to the Hammers family.
“Vlad and Cress put in a great shift. Of course, Danny. You can’t forget Danny,” Kilman adds, though some West Ham fans may prefer to do the opposite.
“All four of them are top pros and very good around the training ground. This is my first season and all four of them made me feel really welcome, so they’re going to be a big loss for us.
“We need to get our heads down and kind of come even more together when they leave.”
Danny Ings could yet leave West Ham with individual silverware. He was included in the club’s Goal of the Season running for September’s 94th minute equaliser at Fulham.
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