Why Leeds Should Go Ahead And Splash £9million On Hugill
Leeds United are potentially still looking for another central striker this transfer window and have been continuously linked with Preston North End’s Jordan Hugill. Comments attributed to Leeds managing director Angus Kinnear this week though would seem to suggest they won’t be bidding for the want-away forward on the grounds of value but is he right to think that way?
Hugill is just one of a number of forward players to have been linked to Leeds recently. The 25-year-old has netted ten times in his 28 games for Preston and his value is such that any buying club could get a lot more out of Hugill, should they work on him in training.
Kinnear though, for his part, has said that his club could pay £9million for the player, offering him £20,000-per-week but he wonders whether or not that is good value. I wonder though whether Kinnear is truly thinking of the long-term with that view. Pierre-Michel Lasogga may not be around the club for long and even if he is, the German has proven to be unreliable throughout his career.
Beyond him, Leeds have nothing in this position and so Hugill could change everything. If the striker can make such a difference for Leeds, he surely is worth £9million, if not more.
Preston Facing Problems Of Their Own
Hugill’s current club Preston have signed Louis Moult and a lot is expected of the former Motherwell forward. His arrival sparking even stronger rumours that North End will allow Hugill to leave.
Manager Alex Neil, however, has a different view, being adamant that Hugill is not for sale at all. Comments attributed to Neil include him saying that Preston “couldn’t” sell Hugill in the summer as they had no replacement for him, and also saying that Louis Moult has been brought into the club to create competition for the centre-forward role.
Firstly, competition is good from the manager’s point of view but that doesn’t mean Jordan Hugill has to be happy with that situation and, injuries and suspension aside, he will justifiably feel he does not need to relinquish his position in the side for the new signing.
Secondly, Neil has rather made a blooper by admitting that Hugill wasn’t sold in the summer because there was no cover in the squad. Well, there is cover now and so if that was part of the board and the management’s reasoning for keeping Hugill against his wishes then that reasoning has now shifted with the arrival of Moult.
Hugill is someone who improves over time; his average goal tally continues to improve season on season and his all-round centre-forward play is combative and more than competent to the point of being almost old-fashioned. He would make an excellent foil for Kemar Roofe and Ezgjan Alioski to name two and will get 10+ goals himself between now and April, which should be reason enough for Leeds to sign him.
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