OPINION
West Ham’s new signing already has Paul Merson doubting him, but Jordan Hugill will be a success at the Hammers if given a chance.
Merson revealed when grading every Premier League team’s transfer dealings in a post for Sky Sports,that he has doubts about whether the centre-forward could make the step up to the top-flight.
“As for Hugill, I think it’s quite a big step from the Championship,” said the pundit.
“People tell me there’s not much between the two divisions but I don’t agree, it’s a big jump to come up and score goals in the Premier League.”
The 25-year-old signed for the Hammers on transfer deadline day, with the BBC reporting that Hugill cost the club £10million in order to acquire his services from Preston North End.
Hugill was the Championship side’s top scorer this season scoring 10 goals in 29 appearances, which means West Ham have forked out £1million for every goal he has scored this season.
The forward’s price-tag seems ludicrous when explained like that, but Hammers fans need not fear as Hugill will prove to be worth the money.
While it’s true that Hugill has been far from prolific during his time in England’s lower leagues, scoring 31 goals in 137 appearances across League Two, League One and the Championship, he’ll be among the goals in the Premier League.
The 6ft forward is physical player who will run rough shot over Premier League defenses, similar to how Andy Carroll has been able to be successful in this league when fit.
Hugill is all but guaranteed to win his aerial duels even against taller defenders, and the centre-forward doesn’t just use his size to win these battle but shows a ridiculous amount of desire to ensure he never loses.
Granted that this leads to the forward giving a way of lot of fouls, but more often than not his ability in the air, leads to goalscoring opportunities for his team.
Sometimes signing a player from another league, even one ranked below it, sees a player have a unique style compared to other Premier League players that opponents can’t adapt to deal with quick enough to stop them impacting a game.
Hugill will be a player of this nature.
There’s also the argument to be made that with better players surrounding him, Hugill will take his game to the next level.
Joao Mario along with the centre-forward joined the Hammers in the winter window, and the cultured midfielder’s sublime passing ability and amazing delivery from set-pieces will enable Hugill to fire the ball home consistently.
The centre-forward, with no offense to his previous teammates, has never played with a player as good as Mario before and could soon find scoring goals even easier, which will see his goal ratio become drastically more impressive.
Therefore despite looking like a costly purchase given his goal return and Merson already doubting him; Hugill will prove that he is a good signing by scoring the goals needed in the second half of the season.