Jordan Hugill is set to depart West Ham this summer and he could be reunited with his former club Preston North End, according to Football Insider.
The Hammers have already allowed Marko Arnautovic, Andy Carroll and Lucas Perez to leave, but it seems as though even a striker exodus isn’t enough for Manuel Pellegrini to give Hugill a chance.
This point was accentuated by the 27-year-old not being given a single minute on the pitch against Altach, as well as his omission from the 23-man squad which has travelled to play in the Premier League Asian Trophy – despite the fact Javier Hernandez is the only out-and-out striker on the trip.
Hugill hasn’t had the best of times at West Ham since joining in January 2018, as he was only afforded 22 minutes during the half-season he spent in claret and blue.
He did relatively well on loan at Middlesbrough last season though, as he started 20 games and came on as a substitute 17 times, scoring six goals and adding two assists.
The striker showed that he can have an impact, winning 3.5 aerial duels (WhoScored) per game, being fouled 1.2 times per match and winning two Man of the Match awards.
Lukas Nmecha was Preston’s most prevalent striker last season, starting 16 matches in the role, scoring four goals and assisting five times.
Nmecha is 185 cm tall, while Hugill is 183cm, but the 20-year-old who was on loan from Manchester City only managed to win 1.6 aerial duels per game, less than half of the West Ham man’s number.
With the German having returned to Manchester, it could be worth Preston bringing Hugill in, as he can be a dominant presence for them in attacking areas.
This is a move that works for everyone if the right deal can be struck up between West Ham and Preston.
It has been made pretty clear that things won’t work out for Hugill in East London, so it is for the best that he leaves sooner rather than later for the sake of his own career.
The move also means West Ham recoup some of the money they paid for him, while Preston bring in a player who has been pretty decent in the Championship, as they try to make a push for the league’s higher echelons.
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