Norwich City legend Chris Sutton has said that the club must keep hold of Jordan Hugill this summer.
The 30-year-old once again found the net in Norwich's pre-season victory over Marseille recently, and Sutton believes he can be a key player for the Canaries this term.
In his new column on Pink Un, via Eastern Daily Press (EDP), Sutton wrote that whilst many had forgotten to mention Hugill ahead of the new season, he is now firmly in the mix with the likes of Adam Idah and Josh Sargent.
"At the start of the summer, the conversations around Norwich City's strikeforce were about who would be Teemu Pukki's understudy - Adam Idah or Josh Sargent?" Sutton wrote in his Pink Un column, via EDP.
"Now that discussion has a fresh name in Jordan Hugill, who continued his sparkling pre-season form with an impressive brace against Marseille on Saturday.
"The 30-year-old is now Norwich's top scorer in their preparations and firmly in the mix as they edge closer to the start of the season."
Hugill joined the Canaries from West Ham United back in 2020, making 34 appearances for the club so far.
He failed to appear for them in the Premier League last term, instead being loaned out first to West Brom, and then to Cardiff City.
Sutton believes there will be interest in the player once again from teams in the Championship, but that Norwich must keep hold of the forward for the upcoming season after what he has shown in pre-season.
"There will undoubtedly be other Championship clubs looking to pinch Hugill away from Norwich, but if you're Dean Smith then you cannot let him go now after the form he has shown." Sutton added in his column.
"Especially when you add in the continued injury concerns for Idah, Hugill looks to have leapfrogged Sargent as Pukki's deputy.
"He has returned in really good shape and looks hungry to stake a claim for himself."
The Verdict
Norwich City would do well to heed the advice of Chris Sutton here.
The Canaries legend knows a thing or two about strikers and makes some really valid points regarding Hugill ahead of the new season.
Of course, the likes of Adam Idah and Josh Sargent are strong competition to compete with, but if he can continue his goalscoring form into the season, he will be above those players in the pecking order.
Furthermore, Hugill is an experienced player at Championship level - that can certainly do no harm, particularly if he is bagging goals and offering that experience at the same time.