West Brom's £10m former loan man who netted just once 'set for non-league'

Former Albion loan flop Jordan Hugill is set to drop into non-league.

The veteran frontman, who turned 34 this week, is a free agent this summer after exiting Rotherham, where he has been since 2023.

Hugill spent the first half of the 2021/22 campaign on loan at The Hawthorns from Norwich, who had just been promoted to the Premier League as Championship title-winners.

It was a forgettable stint for the striker, who managed just a solitary goal for Albion in 20 appearances in all competitions under Valerien Ismael.

His one goal came in a 3-0 victory against Bristol City in the October.

The frontman returned to Norwich at the end of January after Albion had made moves for Orlando City’s Daryl Dike in a £7million swoop and free transfer Andy Carroll. Ismael lost his job soon after and was replaced by Steve Bruce.

Hugill is reportedly closing in on a move back to his north east roots and a free transfer to Hartlepool United.

Pools finished ninth in the National League last term and last month appointed experienced former Newcastle man Lee Clark as head coach.

The peak of the forward’s career was a 30-goal stint in a little more than three seasons at Preston in the second tier, which earned him a £10million switch to Premier League West Ham. Hugill played just three times for the Irons.

Hugill scored 17 times in 128 games for the Millers including a double in a 3-1 New York Stadium win for the hosts against Albion, under Carlos Corberan, in April 2023.