Middlesbrough FC were left baffled by Preston's £10m transfer masterstroke on Riverside evidence | OneFootball

Jordan Hugill didn't enjoy the same success as a Middlesbrough player as he did with Preston North End.

Jordan Hugill's move to Middlesbrough in the summer of 2018 was a dream one for the boyhood Boro fan, but the striker didn't enjoy the same success on Teesside as he had with Preston North End.

The summer transfer window of 2018 was a hugely important one for Middlesbrough.

Having replaced Garry Monk in December 2017, Tony Pulis would guide Boro to a fifth-placed finish in their first season back in the Championship after suffering relegation from the Premier League in 2017.

Despite losing in the play-off semi-finals to Aston Villa, optimism was rife on Teesside that should Pulis get his first summer of spending as Boro boss right, then he could present a side that would right those wrongs and make their top flight return in that 2018/19 season.

One of the acquisitions made by Middlesbrough that summer was the signing of Boro-born Jordan Hugill on loan from West Ham United, and it was hoped the local lad could fire his boyhood club back to the promised land.

Before making Middlesbrough move, Hugill enjoyed excellent spell with Preston that earned him West Ham switch

Having begun his career with numerous Northern non-league teams such as Seaham Red Star, Marske United and Whitby Town respectively, Hugill would eventually sign with League One outfit Port Vale in the summer of 2013.

After just one season with the Valiants, and after a loan move to Gateshead during that same 2013/14 season, the centre-forward was snapped up by Preston in the summer of 2014 for a reported fee of just £25,000.

He would make just a handful of appearances for North End during the first half of the 2014/15 season, before spending the second half of the campaign out on two separate League Two loan spells with Tranmere Rovers and Hartlepool United respectively.

However, the 2015/16 season would be a breakthrough one for him at Deepdale, as Hugill would go on to make 32 first-team appearances in all competitions, bagging five goals in the process.

Over the next season-and-a-half with the Lilywhites, Hugill would net 23 times in all competitions, with 20 of those strikes coming in the Championship.

It was this form in front of goal that captured the attention of Premier League side West Ham United, who in January 2018, completed a deal with Preston to acquire his services for a reported fee of £10m.

Hugill had handed in a transfer request at Deepdale in the summer of 2017 which was rejected, but come the winter window, and being presented with an offer such as the one West Ham had tabled, North End decided not to stand in his way of a big-money move.

Middlesbrough didn't see £10m centre-forward with loan swoop for Hugill

Hugill's move to West Ham had secured him a dream switch to the Premier League, but it was an ill-fated one.

Over the duration of the second half of the 2017/18 season, he would make just three brief cameos in the top flight for the Irons, totaling just 22 minutes of Premier League action with no goals or assists to his name - per FotMob.

As a result, come the summer transfer window of 2018, West Ham were prepared to let their £10m man leave the London Stadium on a temporary basis, and his hometown club would come calling.

It was announced on 8 August 2018 that Hugill, a former barman in Middlesbrough during his non-league days, had completed a season-long loan switch to the Riverside Stadium.

Then Boro boss Tony Pulis wanted a tough and industrious centre-forward to suit his direct style of play, and Hugill appeared to tick a number of those boxes.

“It’s a big move coming to my hometown club, and hopefully I’ll do myself justice," Hugill said at the time.

“It’s something I’ve grown up wanting to do is play for Middlesbrough. I’d break my back to be here. Now I want to show people what I can do.”

Unfortunately for him, he wouldn't enjoy a fruitful goalscoring season for his boyhood side, as he netted just six times in 37 Championship appearances, with three of those coming from the penalty spot - per FotMob.

He would also add two assists to his tally in the second tier that term, as well as bagging an additional goal in the EFL Cup to take his combined goalscoring return to just seven in 41 appearances in all competitions.

As such, Middlesbrough certainly didn't see the same striker that Preston did, one that West Ham were prepared to fork out £10m for.