Born in Durham, Hugill is regarded as one of the most talented players to emerge from the club's 'Academy of Light' programme, which has developed Jordan Pickford, Josh Maja and Conor Hourihane.
There's one thing that Hugill guarantees, and that is goals. He bagged a hat-trick for Sunderland's Under-18 side in an FA Youth Cup tie against Shrewsbury in November and having consistently found the net at U18 level, he was promoted to the U23s.
Despite the sizeable age gap to his more senior opponents, it didn't take long for Hugill to make his mark. He netted a brace against in a 4-2 defeat against Premier League 2 leaders West Ham back in February, which seemed to alert scouts to his ability.
Playing style
One of the reasons why Hugill was able to slot into the U23 side so comfortably is his physical attributes.
Standing at 6'2" with a slender frame, Hugill has an obvious height advantage against most players in his age group and therefore poses a tangible aerial threat to defenders he comes up against.
Strikers of a larger build are often (unfairly) criticised for their perceived lack of technical skills or pace. But the Sunderland prospect is blessed with a strong left foot and displayed his skillset with a stunning lob in the U23 defeat against West Ham.
While it is too early to make comparisons, the intelligent run in behind and composed finish suggested that Hugill could eventually develop into a cultured player.
Will he move?
A coach who has worked closely with Hugill is Sunderland U23s manager Elliott Dickman, who delivered his verdict on the young striker.
"He is showing good progress and I think he will be back with the U18s for now, but I am sure he will be with us again," he said.
“If he keeps doing what he is doing, he will definitely get a taste of U23s football again. But at the same time, we have to make sure we look after Joe. We can’t push him too quickly, but the signs are there that he has good potential.”
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Nicky Butt and Michael Carrick have already seen Hugill in action while watching Man United's U18s take on Sunderland last year, and reports suggest United are one of three clubs interested in striking a deal for the wonderkid.
However, Hugill is a self-proclaimed Sunderland fan "for life" and may prefer to stay at the Stadium of Light for a few more years to continue his progression.