DANNY Ings feels as though he is in tip-top shape ahead of the upcoming campaign.

The striker, who completed his £18m move from Liverpool at the beginning of July, made it his mission to return to pre-season in the best possible condition.

This meant taking part in gruelling fitness sessions throughout the summer so that he could hit the ground running, which is something he feels he has done.

Speaking to the Daily Echo, Ings said: “I think it was very important coming back with a solid base for this season.

“Last year was a bit up and down for me.

“When I came down from Liverpool I wasn’t 100 per cent fit and you could see that from my performances.

“That was the reason why I had a few niggles, so it was important for this year that I put in a lot of work during the off-season before returning for pre-season.

“I’m just really looking forward to starting.”

The 27-year-old gave fans a glimpse of what they can expect from him during last Saturday’s pre-season friendly against Preston.

Ings netted twice to help Saints cruise to a 3-1 victory at Deepdale before defender Jake Vokins sealed the win with a late strike.

Despite numerous setbacks last season, the former Burnley ace still managed to bag seven Premier League goals in 24 matches.

This saw him finish behind Nathan Redmond as the club’s leading scorer.

However, with Ings now finding the back of the net during pre-season, it’s only going to boost his confidence.

And the hitman admitted that he doesn’t care whether the goals come in training or a Premier League match.

For him, the main thing is that they are beating the goalkeeper and rippling the back of the net.

The Winchester-born lad added: “I feel fitter with every game of pre-season and I feel like we are tactically improving which is only a great sign.

“As a striker, you always want to be scoring goals whether that’s in training, a friendly match or on the Premier League stage. For me, they all count.

“If I can generate confidence going into the new season then that can only be a positive.

“Last year, when I played, and when I was fit, I scored a few goals.

“I wasn’t over the moon about how often I played because of the niggles.

“The main aim for me this year is to take care of my fitness because if I do that then the stuff on the pitch will take care of itself.”