OPINION
It’s starting to become hard to ignore Jordan Hugill as he continues to love life away from West Ham at QPR.
The loaned-out Hammers attacker scored his seventh goal of the season for QPR on Tuesday night during the 2-2 draw with Reading which means he has averaged a goal every 137 minutes this season (Source: BBC Sport).
In fact, the 27-year-old is having such an impressive season that he is currently the joint-third highest scorer in the Championship, as per the BBC, and has averaged a goal more frequently than the Hammers’ main man Sebastien Haller, who has scored a goal every 180 minutes. (Source: BBC)
Hugill told QPR’s official website that it was brilliant for him to have the same number of goals that he ended on last season when he was on loan with Middlesbrough and claimed it was onwards and upwards for him from here.
“It’s brilliant for me and to have scored the same amount of goals that I got in the whole of last season already is great,” Hugill told QPR’s official website.
“It’s onwards and upwards from here for me.”
Hugill managed seven goals in 42 outings for Boro last season, yet it’s only taken him 13 games to reach that amount this season with QPR, so clearly he is right to be confident.
So it’s not hard to believe him when he says he is only going to get better.
With this in mind, surely the Hammers need to rethink their reported stance on him.
Football Insider previously reported West Ham were ready to sell Hugill in January, with Claret & Hugh going on to report that the forward’s £32,000-per week pay packet may put people off buying him despite him red-hot form.
Football Insider then claimed in another report following those two, that the Hammers were willing to take a 50% hit on Hugill as they were willing to sell him for £5million after previously purchasing him for £10million from Preston North End in January 2018.
This report suggests that West Ham were willing to make Hugill more appealing for buyers by lowering his price tag effectively, to make up for the fact his wage packet may be a lot to take on as you feel the 27-year-old wouldn’t be eager to take a massive hit on his salary.
Yet surely West Ham don’t have to sell Hugill for 50% of what they paid if he is set to get better, as even though his wages are high, he could start a bidding war as loads of Championship clubs would no doubt love to add a proven in-form forward to their squad in the winter window.
So with that in mind and Hugill’s confident claim seeming believable, surely the Hammers need to rethink trying to sell him for a knockdown price as they may be able to drive a harder bargain given his current form.
