Southampton striker Danny Ings is confident his goal-scoring exploits this season will be rewarded with an England recall as he looks to add to the one cap he received back in 2015.
Ings, who joined Saints in a permanent deal from Liverpool at the start of the season after spending the previous campaign on loan at the club, has scored 24 goals in all competitions this season.
The 28-year-old’s sole international appearance came in 2015 against Lithuania but his form this season means he is in contention to be called up to Gareth Southgate’s England squad for UEFA Nations League games against Iceland and Denmark in September.
“I don’t think I’d ever want to be that one-cap man,” Ings, who was handed his England Under-21 debut by Southgate in 2013, told the Times.
“Once you’ve dipped your toe in, you want more and more. To be in the position now with good form, it gives me great confidence that hopefully one day I can be among that group again.”
Ings’s Liverpool career was derailed by a series of serious injuries, which limited him to 14 league appearances in three seasons, but he has blossomed under Saints boss Ralph Hasenhuettl this season.
“I feel like when people have looked at the season I’ve had here they do assume this is my comeback season and it’s actually not,” he said.
“It’s a myth and it can be quite frustrating at times. I’ve not had any serious injuries for a number of years now. I’ve had a few niggles here and there, like every player has, but apart from that I’ve been fit for a long time. I feel in great shape.”