Southampton are leading the race to sign Blackburn forward Adam Armstrong, according to The Express.

What's the latest transfer news on Adam Armstrong?

The 24-year-old has been attracting interest from a number of Premier League clubs, with West Ham and Newcastle reportedly keen on the attacker. Armstrong was previously on the books of Newcastle, and they inserted a 40% sell-on clause when he joined Blackburn, which would be written off if they re-signed him this summer.

However, it is Southampton who are believed to be in pole position to land Armstrong this summer, and they are set to submit a £15m offer to Blackburn.

Would £15m be enough to convince Blackburn to sell Armstrong?

It is understood that Blackburn want £20m for Armstrong. However, his contract expires next year, meaning that they may have to accept a lower offer rather than risk losing him for nothing in 12 months.

Therefore, it has been reported that they could accept a fee of £16m, a figure which is close to what Southampton are set to offer them.

What are Armstrong's stats this season?

Armstrong has been on fire in the Championship this season, netting 28 goals in 40 appearances for Tony Mowbray's men.

He started off the campaign by scoring five goals in his first three league games, and he ended it in even better form by bagging two-hat-tricks in his final three matches.

None of his teammates managed more than eight league goals this term, and Armstrong also comfortably outscored all of Southampton's squad, as Danny Ings finished the season with 12 Premier League goals to his name.

Is Armstrong the ideal Ings replacement?

He could well be.

Tottenham want to sign Ings this summer, and given that he only has a year left on his contract, it could be the right moment for the Saints to cash in on the 28-year-old. 

Should they do that, they would need to find a suitable replacement, as Ings has scored 34 goals in his last two Premier League campaigns. 

Taking over from Ings would be no easy task, but Armstrong's performances this year have indicated that he is capable of taking on the challenge. 

He has consistently found the net in 2020/21, and he is four years younger than Ings, suggesting that there is still plenty of room for improvement.

In terms of finding someone who can take over the goalscoring mantle from Ings next season and in the years ahead, Armstrong looks to be the perfect option for Southampton to pursue in the upcoming transfer window.