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LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Liverpool agreed a deal to sign Burnley striker Danny Ings on Monday in a bid to improve the team's scoring record that dipped sharply following the departure of Luis Suarez.
The signing of the 22-year-old Ings, subject to a medical examination, comes days after midfielder James Milner joined Liverpool on a free transfer after refusing a new deal at Manchester City.
Liverpool is rebuilding after finishing sixth in the Premier League last season, a year after almost winning the title. The club's biggest problem was scoring goals, with only 52 netted compared to 101 in the 2013-14 campaign when Suarez and Daniel Sturridge struck up a superb partnership up front.
Ings' contract at Burnley expires on June 30 and the club that was relegated from the Premier League is entitled to compensation because of the England under-21 international's age.
"Burnley has rejected an offer made by Liverpool," Burnley said in a statement, "but will continue to have dialogue with the club in order to reach a resolution over the fee."
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers will hope Ings turns out to be more productive than the two strikers he signed last summer to replace Suarez, who left to join Barcelona.
Mario Balotelli and Rickie Lambert scored three league goals between them last season, and didn't seem to suit Liverpool's style of play that relies on pace and movement in attack. Sturridge was injured for much of the season.
Ings scored 11 league goals in 35 games last season, making him the fifth highest-scoring Englishman. He was selected in England U21's squad for the European Championship in the Czech Republic from June 17-30.
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