Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly ahead of Fulham in the race to sign 23-year-old English midfielder Hayden Hackney from Middlesbrough.
According to a report by TEAMtalk, Fulham, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur are interested in Hayden Hackney. However, the Cottagers have fallen behind their Premier League rivals in the race to sign the 23-year-old Middlesbrough midfielder from the EFL Championship club.
Hayden Hackney and his soaring stock
Hayden Hackney has been one of the best young prospects in the EFL Championship since breaking into the first-team squad at Middlesbrough. The Englishman spent his formative years in his homeland and graduated from the youth division at Middlesbrough in January 2021. However, the 23-year-old had to wait until the 2022/23 season to enjoy his breakthrough at the Riverside Stadium.
Hackney has made over 100 appearances thus far for Middlesbrough while chipping in with 11 goals and 11 assists. Meanwhile, the English midfielder’s exploits for the EFL Championship club have not gone unnoticed, capturing the attention of several well-known Premier League clubs. Fulham, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur are among the prospective suitors vying for his signature.
Premier League adventure on the horizon?
Manchester United will likely look to sign a versatile midfielder next year amid Casemiro’s advancing age. Additionally, Manuel Ugarte has been dreadful since joining Manchester United from Paris Saint-Germain last year. Several candidates have thus emerged on the struggling Premier League giants’ wishlist, with Hackney also a viable target.
Meanwhile, Hayden Hackney has been on Tottenham Hotspur’s wishlist for a long time. The continued interest is understandable, as Yves Bissouma has no future at the North London club. So, with Tottenham building a long-term core by signing highly-rated youngsters, the Middlesbrough midfielder is an option worth considering.
As for Fulham, the West London club sold Andreas Pereira in the summer transfer window, and they must dip into the market for a midfielder in the winter transfer window. While Sasa Lukic and Sander Berge have been exceptional in the middle of the park for Fulham, Hackney is a viable target. However, the Cottagers are behind Manchester United and Tottenham in the battle for the Englishman’s signature.
Manchester United and Tottenham have closely monitored the youngster’s progress for a long time, and they are ahead in the race to sign him. However, it is unclear how much Middlesbrough will demand to part ways with the 23-year-old English midfielder. Meanwhile, the possibility of joining a Premier League club may appeal to the young midfielder, with recent reports claiming he wants to move to the top flight.