OPINION
West Ham are not destined to take a financial hit when attacker Jordan Hugill leaves the club but they have to make the right decision about his future in to avoid devaluing him further.
According to a report by Hammers news site Claret & Hugh the London club are expecting to take a loss on the original £10million they invested in the 26-year-old forward when he eventually departs the club on a permanent basis.
However Manuel Pellegrini’s side could avoid making a loss on the player’s inevitable exit if they choose to loan him to the right club this summer.
Hugill’s transfer value is no doubt way below the £10million that the Hammers paid for him in January as he has been only allowed to feature in three games for the Premier League side since joining.
There are doubts that 26-year-old is good enough for the Premier League for this reason as that’s the most logical explanation as to why he has hardly got a kick of the ball since arriving at the London Stadium.
While it will be hard to shift these doubts, they won’t stop a Championship side from splashing the cash on him if he reminds people of his knack for scoring goals in England’s second-tier.
The Hammers must choose to loan him to a side in England’s second-tier this summer and pick the club that he is mostly likely to be a prolific threat at.
Hugill scored eight goals for Preston in the Championship last season ahead of leaving them in January and it was his physical presence as well as his ability in the air that saw him be a regular threat in front of goal.
Preston North End, Sheffield Wednesday and Queens Park Rangers are all thought to be in the hunt for the 26-year-old’s services, according to Hammers insider ExWHUemployee, and the club must pick the team most likely to play to Hugill’s strengths.
https://twitter.com/BillStone23/status/1013371204609200128
Yep along with a few other championship sides including his old club and Sheffield Wednesday https://t.co/2WG1aV1H44
— ExWHUEmployee (@ExWHUEmployee) July 1, 2018
Every side in the Championship is aware that you need a guaranteed goalscorer in order to significantly boost your chances of promotion with this being proven by the effect Aleksandar Mitrovic had on Fulham in the second half of the 2017/18 season.
This need for a consistent goalscorer sees clubs pay over the odds to get a player that fits the bill in order to give them the best chance of promotion.
For example Stoke City were willing to pay £10million to sign Dwight Gayle from Newcastle United this summer, as reported by the Mail, as he is seen as clinical force when playing in the Championship.
Therefore if the Hammers opt to rightly loan Hugill to a Championship side for next season then they could soon see his value shoot back up to what it was when they signed him.
This means there will likely be a club willing to spend £10million and above to get the forward from the Hammers in the near future as Championship teams are desperate to reach the Premier League and will pay crazy amounts to help their chances.
