Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly battling with Manchester United over a deal to sign Middlesbrough midfielder Hayden Hackney, as per TEAMtalk.
Following Rodrigo Bentancur’s serious hamstring problem, the Lilywhites have decided to reinforce the midfield department by signing Conor Gallagher from Atletico Madrid for a £35m fee this month.
Still, TEAMtalk claim that Spurs are planning to add further depth to the engine room and have earmarked Hackney as a serious option. They have been monitoring his development closely before making a potential swoop.
The 23-year-old hasn’t just attracted the Lilywhites’ attention with his recent eye-catching performances in the Championship, as Man Utd, Fulham, and Everton are also keen on him.
Although the Toffees are big admirers of Hackney, they aren’t prioritising reinforcing the midfield in January. Instead, they are looking for a new striker, left-back, and right-back.
Man Utd’s new interim manager, Michael Carrick, is a ‘huge admirer’ of the Middlesbrough star, having previously worked together at Riverside Stadium. Now, he is keen on reuniting with his former colleague at Old Trafford.
Although the midfielder’s existing deal will expire at the end of next season, Middlesbrough have no intention of parting ways with their key player in mid-season as they are in the race to gain promotion, sitting second in the Championship.
Battle
Boro want a club record fee to sell him this month and have slapped a £30m price tag on his head. They believe no one will meet the price tag to sign him.
Hackney is a deep-lying playmaker by trait but is also comfortable in the box-to-box role. Furthermore, he can provide cover in the No.10 position if needed.
Man Utd are in desperate need of a midfield rebuild as Casemiro has been displaying inconsistent performances in recent years and has entered the final few months of his current contract.
Moreover, Kobbie Mainoo struggled to find regular game time under Ruben Amorim, but his game time is expected to improve under Carrick, while Manuel Ugarte has found it difficult to find his feet in the Premier League.
Hackney is a talented player and could be a shrewd acquisition for Man Utd or Tottenham should either club eventually manage to secure his service in January or next summer.
