The striker has clinched a deadline day move to St Mary’s as he looks to re-launch his Premier League career on the South Coast

Liverpool striker Danny Ings has joined Southampton on loan and will make a £20 million ($26m) permanent switch to St Mary’s next summer.

On an otherwise quiet deadline day at Anfield, the Reds agreed to let the 26-year-old forward leave in search of first-team football.

Ings will initially join on a season-long loan deal, but Saints will have an obligation to buy him next summer. He has signed a four-year contract and could make his debut for his new club against former side Burnley on Saturday.

The fee agreed between the clubs, which comes into effect on July 1, 2019, is an initial £18m ($23m) with an extra £2m ($2.5m) in performance-related add-ons. Liverpool have also agreed a 20 percent sell-on clause in the deal.

Ings is understood to be relishing the chance to relaunch his Premier League career on the South Coast after an injury-plagued three years at Liverpool.

There, he suffered two serious knee injuries, which restricted him to just 25 appearances and four goals in all competitions. Capped once by England, he was keen to move on this summer in a bid to play regular football.

Interest arrived from four Premier League clubs, with Crystal Palace, Newcastle and Leicester City all making enquiries. Southampton, though, were Ings’ first choice. Born in nearby Winchester, Ings was a boyhood Saints fan and still has family on the South Coast. 

The agreement between the clubs came late on deadline day, with Ings granted permission to miss training to be ready to travel for a medical when needed. Southampton submitted a deal sheet to the Premier League shortly before the 5pm deadline, and the deal was completed shortly after. 

Ings leaves with everyone at Liverpool’s best wishes, with staff and team-mates aware how hard he worked to get back to full fitness after those devastating injuries. Jurgen Klopp would happily have kept him around as a squad option this season, but made allowances for the player as he sought to move on.

Otherwise, there were no further exits at Anfield with Marko Grujic and Sheyi Ojo remaining at the club for now – though both could sign a loan deal to the Football League or make a permanent move abroad before the end of the month. Pedro Chirivella, Lazar Markovic, Divock Origi and Simon Mignolet could also leave in the next three weeks.