Sometimes, transfers are completed and they just do not make any sense whatsoever. For West Ham United, bringing in Jordan Hugill from Preston back in January 2018 was one of those, especially seeing as he cost them £10m (BBC). Now, though it looks like the Irons are rightly cutting their losses.
The argument is there that Hugill didn’t get enough of a chance in the Premier League. The 27-year-old has played just 22 minutes of action in three games for the Irons off the bench in the top-flight, and having been omitted from Manuel Pellegrini’s squad for the PL Asia Trophy, his time looks up.
Before signing for West Ham, Hugill had a meagre record of just 30 goals in 112 games for Preston, and now, just 18 months later, it looks like he could be on his way back to Deepdale, albeit not for anywhere near the £10m that it took to prise him from there in the first place.
The links between Hugill and a return to Preston have come via both Football Insider and ExWHUemployee on Twitter, and with two sources backing up the same story and the obvious fact that he won’t be set to feature for Pellegrini anytime soon, an exit makes perfect sense.
Whilst in the case of Sam Byram, the Hammers could have held out for more than just the measly £750k fee (BBC), that will not be the case with Hugill. The striker’s move to West Ham was a calamity and the sooner he’s off their books and forgotten about the better given his wasted 18 months in both wages for the club and his own development.
The striker spent last season out on loan at Championship Middlesbrough, but even there he failed to impress. Over the course of 37 league games, the 27-year-old could only chip in with a meagre six goals and two assists, Transfermarkt, before returning to his parent club.
That’s hardly the form of a striker who will help Alex Neil’s Preston fight for promotion next season, but that’s not what matters to the Irons, as they’ll just be grateful to have Hugill out of their hair.
