FORMER international striker-turned-pundit Clinton Morrison believes Danny Ings "would've definitely been in that England squad" had the European Championship taken place this year.

Euro 2020 was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic and is now instead due to take place in 2021.

Ings was touted for a recall to the national set-up after a stellar season for Saints, where he notched 22 Premier League goals.

That was bettered only by Leicester City's Jamie Vardy (23), with Ings level on goals alongside Arsenal superstar Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

It is almost five years since Ings earned his one and only England cap, as a substitute for Roy Hodgson's side in a 3-0 Euro 2016 qualifying victory at Lithuania.

But former Republic of Ireland striker Morrison feels the 28-year-old was destined for a recall this year by Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate.

"If the Euros was this summer, he would've definitely been in that England squad because he's been first class," Morrison said on talkSPORT.

"I've watched him in games and his movement, he'll suck a defender in to go short and his movement to spin in behind is brilliant. Nine times out of 10, when Danny Ings gets into those positions, he finds the back of the net.

"The amount of goals he's scored and to run Jamie Vardy that close, to be nearly the golden boot winner is terrific."

Asked if he felt former Liverpool striker Ings was 'top-four quality', Morrison added: "Yes, I would say Danny Ings is top-four quality, most definitely. The season he's had at Southampton, if you put him in one of the teams at the top four, he'd easily score goals like that."

As well as playing almost 100 games in the Premier League with Birmingham City, Morrison also played 36 times for Ireland between 2001 and 2006 and was part of his national side's squad for the 2002 World Cup.

And the 41-year-old says Ings reminds him of one of his former team-mates.

"I used to play with a striker who used to play like Danny Ings - Robbie Keane," said Morrison.

"I look at the way Ings plays at the moment, his movement is first class and I used to say to Robbie Keane, how do you get in behind defenders when you're not rapid?

"His movement was first class and Danny Ings is like that."