West Ham United beat Premier League rivals Crystal Palace to the last-gasp signing of Preston North End striker Jordan Hugill in January.
Crystal Palace might have had a lucky escape with Jordan Hugill.
But while Palace’s own lack of goals could yet cost them their Premier League status, Hugill has done very little at West Ham to suggest that he will play a major part in the relegation battle.
The striker, who scored a far from prolific eight times in 26 starts for Preston in the first half of the season, has managed just 22 minutes of league football for West Ham spread across three substitute appearances.
And, when asked why the Middlesbrough-born front man has struggled to make any kind of impression in claret and blue, Hammers fans have been fairly unequivocal.
Hugill, some believe, was simply an affordable panic buy with the window creaking shut, after Diafra Sakho had completed his return to Ligue 1 and left David Moyes rather short of goal-scoring options.
Others, however, go as far as to claim that Hugill was signed in preparation for West Ham’s possible relegation to the Championship.
One thing is for certain, however: Crystal Palace might just have saved themselves £10million.
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