Marcus Bent believes Everton should sign Danny Ings to provide competition and back-up to Dominic Calvert-Lewin this summer.

Calvert-Lewin often ploughed a lone furrow up front for the Toffees in the 2020/21 season.

The England international scored 16 goals in 33 league outings and has subsequently been rewarded with a place in Gareth Southgate’s provisional squad for the European Championships this summer.

But there is not much depth when it comes to out-and-out strikers at the club and Bent believes that a deal to sign Ings would improve the options available to boss Carlo Ancelotti.

Ings was first touted as an option by pundit Chris Sutton, when speaking to Radio 5 Live via the Liverpool Echo, and Bent believes he would be a superb, if expensive, acquisition.

The 28-year-old enjoyed a fine season at Southampton this term, scoring 13 goals in 33 outings in all competitions, and he would undoubtedly lighten the load on Calvert-Lewin next season.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, he said: “They definitely need to bring someone in, they’re talking about Ings. He’s 28.

“He’s not going to be a replacement for years, he’s not going to be at the club for years. He’s doing well at the minute.

“But talking to a couple of people at the club, he’d be a good buy, I wouldn’t say a cheap buy, but he’d be someone who would come in and probably play around DCL and he’d get his number of goals too, I think.”