"Around £25m" - Middlesbrough: Hayden Hackney transfer claim made as January looms | OneFootball

FLW's Middlesbrough fan pundit has identified which player at the club has the highest market value ahead of January

Middlesbrough have climbed closer to the battle for automatic promotion in recent weeks.

Michael Carrick’s side are riding a fine run of form through to the busy December schedule, cementing their place inside the play-off places.

January could now become a crucial point of the campaign for the club, as star players are sure to attract transfer attention due to this good form.

Even Carrick himself could be on the move, meaning this could be a tense number of weeks ahead for the Teesside outfit.

Hayden Hackney transfer claim

When asked which player at the club had the highest transfer value, FLW’s Middlesbrough fan pundit Phil Spencer named Hayden Hackney.

He believes the midfielder has all the hallmarks of a talent that could earn Boro a major transfer fee if sold at any point in the future.

“I think the player with the highest price tag in the Middlesbrough squad at the moment is probably Hayden Hackney,” Spencer told Football League World.

“He is a player who is young, he’s English, which certainly helps in terms of inflating price tag, he’s got international credentials — he’s obviously played for both England and Scotland at youth level, he’s a regular for England at U21 level — and his performances for Middlesbrough have been absolutely outstanding.

“I think the only reason he didn’t move on in the summer was because last season was disrupted quite heavily by injury.

“But this season he’s been absolutely brilliant, he’s proven his fitness, he’s been a really key part of Michael Carrick’s squad.”

Hayden Hackney valuation verdict

Spencer has suggested that Hackney could cost somewhere around the £25 million mark if a club comes in with interest in January or at the end of the campaign.

“I think, going into the January transfer window, I’m not too sure if someone will come in for him in January, or if it will more likely be in the summer potentially.

“But, as far as he’s concerned, I’d probably value Hackney somewhere around £25m.

“He’s someone who has a really high ceiling, someone who will certainly expect to be playing in the Premier League before too long, hopefully that will come with Middlesbrough.

“But if someone was to come knocking for him, I’d certainly think Middlesbrough would be driving a hard bargain to make sure that they were getting every last penny available for him.

“He’s an academy graduate, a homegrown lad and someone who is really important to Michael Carrick’s style of play, so his value to the team is certainly clear for all to see.”

Hayden Hackney will catch Middlesbrough a major fee if they fail to gain promotion

This is a make or break year for Middlesbrough when it comes to Hackney’s future, it feels like.

If they can gain promotion, then surely he will remain at the Riverside and compete in the top flight in Carrick’s side.

But another year in the Championship might be one too many for the midfielder if he can maintain this level of form over the next several months.