"Be foolish not to look at it" - Pundit makes transfer claim as Middlesbrough star wanted by Nottingham Forest | OneFootball

Highlights

Middlesbrough cashed in on talisman Chuba Akpom over the summer due to the fact the ex-Arsenal man had less than a year left on his contract, and his move to Ajax may have been a big reason for the club keeping Hayden Hackney.

Boro have always been a selling club in recent years if the price is right, but Hackney is perhaps their most prized asset now after his rise to prominence in the 2022-23 season.

The 21-year-old midfielder gained considerable attention for his performances in the previous campaign, and ahead of the January transfer window, Nottingham Forest are believed to be still interested.

Ross Wilson - sporting director for Steve Cooper's side - was reportedly scouting Hackney during England under-21's win over Northern Ireland during the international break, and it now remains to be seen if they are going to make a play for the youngster in the upcoming market.

When does Hayden Hackney's Middlesbrough contract expire?

Following his emergence into the first-team last season under caretaker boss Leo Percovich and then his performances under Carrick, it was important that Boro got Hackney tied down with his contract expiring in the summer of 2023.

That is exactly what they did though, as in December 2022, the midfielder penned a fresh deal until June 2026, but in the following five months, his game came on that much to the point where Boro had to offer him yet another new contract to fend off Premier League interest.

And despite the fact that top flight clubs had been keeping tabs on him for months, Hackney put pen-to-paper on an extra year's extension in late June, keeping him on Teesside until the summer of 2027 with a presumed hefty wage rise for his showings.

Should Middlesbrough keep hold of Hayden Hackney in January or cash in?

Former England international midfielder Carlton Palmer believes that Boro should try to hold on to Hackney at all costs in January - however, if a very serious offer is tabled which includes a loan back for the rest of the season, then it should be considered by Steve Gibson.

“Nottingham Forest are looking to add more domestic players to their squad - one player their transfer chief Ross Wilson has been keeping an eye on is Middlesbrough’s Hayden Hackney," Palmer said when speaking exclusively to Football League World.

“Hackney is only 21, and he opted to play for England after winning Scotland caps, and Wilson watched Hayden as England beat Northern Ireland’s under-21’s in a game where he put in an impressive performance in a 3-0 win.

“Hackney spent the 2021-22 campaign on loan in League Two with Scunthorpe United, but it was last season that he eventually made his breakthrough at Middlesbrough, becoming a key man in the middle of the park as Boro climbed from the relegation zone to finish in the play-offs under Michael Carrick.

“Hackney is now one of the first names on the team-sheet - Forest could move in January or wait until the summer. “Middlesbrough, who sit 12th in the Championship, are not looking to sell any of their key players, they’re in-fact looking to add to their squad in the January transfer window. “So, it’s highly unlikely that anything will happen until the summer. Middlesbrough will not entertain selling any of their young stars in January.

“Of course though, if an offer is big enough for them to consider with a loan back until the end of the season, then they’d be foolish not to look at it.”