With the financial strain COVID-19 has put on professional sports and individual teams like West Ham, the ushering out of first-team players could begin, allowing peripheral players to return.
No one is more peripheral at West Ham than Jordan Hugill, but could his time in the sun be approaching? As mentioned, the global shutdown of sports has caused financial turmoil and the Hammers are caught up in it. Originally believed to have £40m to spend this summer, manager David Moyes may be forced to sell some players to get any money to spend at all!
With this player already on the outskirts, Moyes should look to move on out of favour Albian Ajeti to recoup some if not all of his rumoured £8m transfer fee. A cut-price deal will likely need to happen, but any money added to the coffers would be a welcomed addition plus it would help reduce the wage bill.
That means that at striker, the club would have one out-and-out centre-forward in Sebastien Haller with Michail Antonio and Jarrod Bowen both able to play up top alongside Haller. That depth is far too weak for the Premier League with Ajeti likely off, so welcome back Jordan Hugill.
Currently just 27-years-old, Hugill has had a strong season in the Championship with Queen’s Park Rangers. A regular starter for QPR, Hugill has netted 13 goals (and one assist) in 37 matches across all competitions. That return is not bad for him, especially when he had an eleven game goalless drought in the middle of the abbreviated season.
He’s big (6ft. tall) and physical and can do a job in a pinch off the bench or in a starting role. First brought in under David Moyes, Hugill never really got a chance to make an impact. Amassing just 22 minutes over a three-match stretch, Hugill was nothing more than a fresh pair of legs to throw at stoppage time in his first stint with the Hammers.
He’s proven with QPR this season that with more regular usage he can be a difference-maker. With cash needed, recalling Hugill to make up for the sale of Ajeti would be the financially responsible move as well. It’s time… time for Hugill to come home to all the “bobbles.”