Man United loanee expelled from EFL club over 'budget decision'

Manchester United talent Joe Hugill has been sent back to Old Trafford due to a “budget decision”.

Hugill spent the first half of the season with Wigan Athletic on a one-year loan deal, however, the move has been halted by the League One side.

The 21-year-old has scored five goals in 18 games for Wigan so far this season, but has not started since late September.

Shaun MaloneyThe team already has Dale Taylor on loan for a season since Nottingham Forest and now he has signed Will Goodwin on loan from Oxford United for the second half of the campaign.

In a team that typically plays with just one striker, Maloney explained that Hugill was no longer needed at the Brick Community Stadium.

“It's really a budget decision,” Maloney said. “I think he's done very well here, I really enjoyed working with Joe and I think there's even more development in Joe.

“To be fair to him, in the last ten games, Dale Taylor has been in very, very good form, and I know Joe needs to play.”

“He was always going to leave us if Dale kept his place, which he did… although I still would have liked to keep it.

“I know we've signed Will Goodwin, but Joe has a very different profile to him… and we can only carry two '9s' at the moment.

“So that's the decision… it has nothing to do with performance, or how we train… we can only carry two '9s' and that's the decision.”

Asked if that meant Wigan would not sign a replacement striker, Maloney replied: “Yes, definitely.

“We have Dale and Will, that's what we could do this season. We're happy with the two '9s' we have.”

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Having joined Man United from SunderlandEdit In 2020, Hugill has played regularly for the Red Devils under-21 team.

Since then he was also on loan at Altrincham and Burton Albionbefore joining Wigan this term.

Hugill, now 21, is hoping to achieve more regular first-team football during the second half of the season.