RALPH Hasenhuttl would be the “happiest man in the world” if Danny Ings gets called up to next month’s England squad.

The striker has been in fine form for Saints, scoring five goals in all competitions since the beginning of the season.

Ings has found the back of the net four times in his previous three matches which left Hasenhuttl hailing his efforts.

“If this [an England call up] happens then I am the happiest man in the world because it means he is continuing to score,” said Hasenhuttl.

“For him, it is very good he feels comfortable at the moment in the squad and feels confident in what we are doing.

“The game is perfect for him at the moment with early ball wins and early attacking.

“Two of his goals he has scored after an assist from the opposition goalkeeper and this is something that is not so natural in the Premier League.

“The most important thing for him is to stay fit and, if he does, anything is possible. He knows that and has a lot of qualities that can help every time so why not?”

Hasenhuttl also revealed that he spoke to Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp about the striker’s exploits.

Ings made the permanent switch from Liverpool to Saints in the summer and managed to score during their visit to St Mary’s earlier in the season.

Following the match, Hasenhuttl claimed that Klopp was full of praise for the 27-year-old.

He added: “I spoke with Jurgen about him and he said he has a smell for the situation where he knows he can earn something. This is very special for me.

“I would not say he is an old school striker, but he is a striker who is learning and adapting his game.

“Every manager wants something different and it is not always easy for a striker to give him what he wants but we were working on a few things; on deep runs, on using fewer touches.”

Although Saints spent £15m on Che Adams, Ings, according to Hasenhuttl, is benefitting from an excellent summer.

“Danny really is in a good shape at the moment. He had a good pre-season, without any injuries and this is the most important thing for him.

“When he has the ball, he has the quality to score. He gets a lot of chances and finally is able to score.

“Danny is always positive, always open-minded and a very positive character for this team. I hope he can continue this run.

“Because of the intensity of our training sessions, he is in the best shape since I have been here. This is the Danny Ings we want to see and the one that can really help our game.”