Hammers striker set to return

Middlesborough’s fading Championship promotion challenge is bad news for the Hammers who were hoping that on-loan Jordan Hugill could find a permanent home at the Riverside.

Boro have now collected 58 points this season but despite remaining in the play off places in fifth place have lost their last three games and are just a point in front of Villa and Preston and two ahead of Frank Lamprd’s Derby County.

Hugill with seven goals from 35 appearances has been involved in the last four games from which Boro have taken just one point.

And we understand that at this point manager Tony Pulis has no intention of keeping the former Preston striker – who cost the Hammers £10 million under David Moyes.

However, the Irons are hoping that after making 32 appearances for Fiorentina, the Serie A outfit take up the option they hold on Edmilson Fernandes who is available to them at a pre-arranged option fee of £7 million