Manchester United are reportedly leading the race to sign Middlesbrough star Hayden Hackney, as per Football Insider.
Since Michael Carrick’s arrival as the interim manager, the Red Devils have been displaying impressive performances in recent weeks, accumulating 16 points from six matches.
Under Ruben Amorim, United didn’t look like a top-four contender, but they are now one of the favourites to secure Champions League football, sitting fourth in the table with 48 points from 27 matches.
Following Man Utd’s upturn in form under Carrick, speculation has started emerging about whether the Old Trafford club should make the 44-year-old their next permanent head coach.
Now, Football Insider state that if the 20-time English champions eventually appoint Carrick as the new permanent manager, he is set to push to sign Hackney to revamp the midfield department.
Carrick has already held talks with United’s recruitment team about the Middlesbrough star, and he already has a strong relationship with the 23-year-old, having previously worked together at the Riverside Stadium.
Although other Premier League clubs are also interested in Hackney, having been impressed by his recent eye-catching performances in the Championship, Man Utd are currently leading the race.
Hackney to Man Utd
Hackney is valued at around £22m by Transfermarkt and has entered the final 16 months of his current contract. So, Middlesbrough might be open to letting him leave this year to avoid losing him for free, and he is even prepared to leave to take the next step in his career.
Casemiro is set to leave as a free agent at the end of this season, while Manuel Ugarte could also leave, having struggled to find his feet in the Premier League.
So, it has widely been documented that Man Utd are prioritising revamping the midfield department this summer, with Elliot Anderson and Adam Wharton heavily linked with a move.
Hackney is a talented deep-lying playmaker but is also comfortable in the box-to-box role. He could be a shrewd acquisition for Man Utd should they purchase him.
However, it is going to be interesting to see whether the Old Trafford club eventually make a concrete approach to secure his services.
