Tottenham-linked Championship talent heading to Merseyside.
Tottenham Hotspur are scouring the transfer market, as the N17 chiefs look to resolve their midfield problems with reinforcements in the off-season.
The Lilywhites demonstrated a lack of quality in the middle of the park to control and dictate the pace of games during the 2025/26 season. This has led Roberto De Zerbi to identify the likes of Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes as targets to bolster his engine room, after rebuilding the defensive unit with three defenders and a goalkeeper.
Tonali and Fernandes, if they join, will represent marquee acquisitions for Spurs. However, with Yves Bissouma released, Joao Palhinha back to Bayern Munich after his loan expired and Lucas Bergvall seeking a new adventure, the North Londoners must ensure they have enough depth in midfield to avoid getting exposed by injuries for yet another season.
Tottenham-linked Middlesbrough midfielder agrees Everton move
This has led to Tottenham keeping tabs on other midfield options other than Tonali and Fernandes as well. Middlesbrough star Hayden Hackney has reportedly been on the club’s radar.
Following Middlesbrough’s loss in the Championship promotion playoffs final, Hayden Hackney’s dream of featuring in the Premier League next season looked shattered. After working so hard to help his team reach the playoff final, Middlesbrough were beaten 1-0 by Hull City in the playoff final. However, recent developments suggest the Englishman will play in the Premier League.
According to a report from TalkSPORT, Everton have agreed a fee of £25million with Middlesbrough for the signing of Hackney. Several Premier League clubs, including Tottenham, have been vying for the 24-year-old’s signature, but it is Everton who have eventually won the race. The versatile central midfielder is now set to join the Toffees after a fantastic campaign in the Championship.
Last season saw the Redcar-born talent named the Championship’s Player of the Season as well as being named in the Team of the Year. He scored five goals and added eight assists from midfield in 38 league appearances but couldn’t inspire Boro to Premier League football.
Hackney, who has been compared to Arsenal star Declan Rice, was due to enter the final year of his contract at the Riverside Stadium. This forced Boro to cash in on their academy graduate rather than risk losing him on a free transfer next year. Sensing an opportunity to seal a cut-price deal, Everton have quickly acted and stolen the player under Tottenham’s noses.
It remains to be seen how Spurs bosses react to this transfer development, as Hackney’s qualities on and off the ball would have benefited De Zerbi’s side a lot.