Middlesbrough midfielder Hayden Hackney has been watched by a whole host of Premier League clubs in recent weeks, as per 90min.
Middlesbrough youth academy graduate Hackney has emerged as a key player since Michael Carrick’s arrival on Teesside. The 20-year-old has made a starting spot his own, becoming a key figure in the middle of the park.
The Redcar-born starlet played in 34 Championship games over the course of the 2022/23 campaign, managing three goals and four assists in the process.
His displays have seen him become one of the second-tier’s most promising young players and now, it has emerged that his talents haven’t gone unnoticed.
90min reports that Boro are bracing for summer bids for Hackney, who has been watched by a number of clubs recently. Arsenal, Liverpool, Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest and Leicester City have all taken an interest in Hackney, who is contracted to Middlesbrough until the summer of 2026.
A big summer for Boro…
Middlesbrough are certainly on an upward trajectory under Carrick’s management and while the disappointment of missing out on promotion is going to sting, it will be hoped they can really kick on over the 2023/24 campaign.
Keeping the key members of the squad together could be challenging though. Talisman Chuba Akpom has been drawing interest from elsewhere while loan players like Cameron Archer, Ryan Giles and Zack Steffen will be heading back to their parent clubs.
Hackney is another key cog in the Boro system that is now drawing attention from elsewhere. The long-term deal he signed earlier this season means Middlesbrough would receive a good fee as part of any deal, but losing him would be a blow for the club.
