This article is part of Football League World's 'The Verdict' series, which provides personal opinions from the FLW writers regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Wigan Athletic have reportedly agreed a fee in the region of £3m to sign West Ham striker, Jordan Hugill, according to The Sun.

The striker has struggled for consistent game time with the Hammers, and has been restricted to just three appearances for them, since he signed from Preston North End in 2018. 

The report from The Sun claims that Hugill is also attracting interest from Preston and Leeds ahead of the new season, but it seems as though Wigan have edged ahead of them in the race to land his signature.

There will be some surprise from supporters that Wigan have managed to strike a deal to sign Hugill, as they struggled to stay afloat in the Championship for much of last year's league campaign.

Wigan are trying to agree personal terms with the 27-year-old, who spent last term on loan with Middlesbrough, as they missed out on a top-six finish, after a disappointing second-half of the season.

But is this a coup for the Latics if the deal is completed?

We discuss....

George Brooks: 

"Hugill is a decent striker at Championship level, but I still think this signing represents somewhat of a risk for Wigan.

"He's a got plenty of experience in the Championship and a decent goalscoring record, but it's important that Wigan don't get carried away and spend too much money on him.

"I think that £3million could turn out to be a decent fee for Hugill, but it's definitely a risk.

"If he can recapture the goalscoring form he showed while at Preston, then he could turn out to be a good signing.

"However, he really struggled to make an impact at West Ham and failed to live up to expectations at Middlesbrough last season. If that's the player Wigan are getting, then £3million suddenly seems like a lot.

"Hugill is also likely to be on big wages at West Ham, so Wigan will obviously need to take that into consideration too."

Gary Hutchinson: 

"I think this is a good deal, but a coup? Perhaps not so much.

"Hugill is a good Championship player but he didn’t impress at Boro and that’s reflected in the price. Don’t get me wrong; it’s a good signing there isn't a doubt about that. Few players with experience such as his will move for a fee like this and, if they do, it won’t be to Wigan.

"It’s not a ‘hand to mouth’ shocker though. If we were talking 12 months ago it would be big business, but football moves fast.

"His stock has sunk after an average season at Boro and Wigan have taken advantage of that. It’s more a reflection of time moving on than it is a massive coup."

Kealan Hughes: 

"This would be a great signing by Wigan if they manage to pull it off. Hugill is an established Championship player and when he hits top form, he can be unplayable.

"He has attracted interest from former club Preston too, so if Wigan manage to persuade him away from a return Deepdale, then it is a real statement about the club and management there.

"£3m is a great price too considering his move to West Ham was worth a lot more than that. He is still relatively young at 27 as well and could be coming into his best days if he can settle and start playing regularly again.

"He is also the type of striker Wigan are missing, and partnering Joe Garner he should be a real handful for defences. He will likely contribute to a lot of goals next season in one way or another."