Newcastle have joined some big Premier League rivals on a scouting mission to keep tabs on Championship star
Hayden Hackney of Middlesbrough celebrates
Hayden Hackney of Middlesbrough celebrates(Image: Getty Images)
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Newcastle United sent a scout on a spying mission to Middlesbrough this month as the Magpies look to cover all bases.
The black and whites have had a longstanding interest in 23-year-old Teessider Hayden Hackney and had a senior talent spotter in the stands at a recent home game. Defensive midfielder Hackney is under contract at the Riverside until 2027 and is attracting admirers as he plays his part in Boro's promotion push.
Manchester United have been linked with Hackney in the last week or so too while Tottenham Hotspur and Everton also like the Redcar-born player. A £30m price tag has been placed on the North-East star.
The midfield area is an area to watch at Newcastle and while sporting director Ross Wilson has deployed scouts across Europe and South America, the summer is expected to be an interesting time at St James' Park. By then, it will be known whether Joe Willock is staying on Tyneside long-term with his current deal into the last 18 months.
Willock was the hero in Paris. Eddie Howe likes what the midfielder brings to the table at United and doesn't want to lose him. Getting past Joelinton, Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali is extremely tough but as recent injuries to the Brazilian pair have shown, there are opportunities during a long hard season.
What is an area of concern for Willock has to be that he has started just two games in the Premier League. And for a player that still harbours international ambitions with England, that is never going to get him close to the mind of any Three Lions boss.
Nevertheless, Willock goes into the game away to Liverpool tonight on the back of a goal and star performance against Paris St-Germain. And in timely manner he returns to the scene of one of his best moments in a Newcastle shirt when he scored an equaliser against Liverpool in 2021 during the lockdown season to bag Steve Bruce's side a rare point at Anfield.
Linked with Crystal Palace and Leeds, any potential departure for Willock could see a move for another midfielder, with Hackney on a list of stars the club have monitored.
Limited tickets for Newcastle's Champions League play-off
The Magpies have now confirmed the dates for their clash with Qarabag with the first leg taking place on Wednesday 18th February, and the return six days later on Tyneside.
Newcastle's European hopes will be played out at the Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium which holds 31,000 supporters with 1,998 tickets made available for travelling fans.
It is an arduous journey for the Toon Army, with few direct flights to Baku, escalating costs on most airlines and the need for multiple stops in some cases. Supporters have been booking flights via Budapest and Istanbul, leaving from different airports around the UK as well as Newcastle.
Frustration for Under-21s
The Magpies' second string were due to face Wolverhampton Wanderers last night in Premier League 2. However, after the poor weather on Tyneside the fixture was called off at the last minute, much to the frustration of both clubs.
A Toon statement read: "The young Magpies were due to face their Wolves counterparts at Whitley Park on Friday, 30th January, with kick-off set at 7pm (GMT). However, due to heavy rainfall, the game has been called off due to a waterlogged pitch.
"A new date for the Premier League 2 fixture will be confirmed on newcastleunited.com in due course."
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