Manchester City have been linked with a move for Southampton striker Danny Ings recently but the Citizens would be better off avoiding the 28-year-old and focusing their efforts on Borussia Dortmund sensation Erling Haaland.

According to Sky Sports, City are eyeing the former Liverpool man as a more 'attainable' option than the Norway international, and see Ings as a potential replacement for Sergio Aguero, who is looking increasingly likely to depart in the summer when his contract at the Etihad is set to expire.

Ings enjoyed a superb season with Southampton in the 2019/20 campaign, hitting 22 top-flight goals and finishing as the joint-second top scorer in the division but he has been unable to match those figures in a struggling Southampton side so far this season.

Although his season has been impacted by a number of short-term injury problems, the England international has just eight top-flight goals for Ralph Hasenhuttl's side, although the breakdown in his contract talks may well be impacting his form.

His contract at St Mary's is set to expire at the end of next season, which potentially opens the door for Man City to bring him in on a cut-price deal ahead of next season, whilst Ings has also admitted that he would love to join a Champions League side.

However, his injury-hit spell on Liverpool, where he would manage just 25 appearances, should be a warning to City that a move for the 28-year-old could backfire if he spends more time on the sidelines than on the pitch.

Although Eddie Howe dubbed Ings an "outstanding player" last season, there seem to be few benefits, other than financial reasons, why City should target Ings ahead of Haaland this summer, as whilst the Southampton man is a proven Premier League goalscorer, he will turn 29 this summer, whereas the Dortmund star is just 20 and has the potential to be one of the best players of his generation.

Ings would also add to City's English quota, but there seems very little to suggest that he would be an adequate replacement for Aguero, who will undoubtedly go down as a club legend at City due to his remarkable goal-scoring record.

The Argentinian has had plenty of his own injury issues, of course, but the club would be making a huge mistake if they were to axe him this summer in favour of Ings and if they do want to find a replacement for the former Atletico Madrid man, they should go all-out for a world-class forward.

And, in other news... No goals or assists in March: £63m-rated Man City ace let his standards drop this month