Exclusive: Middlesbrough make final Hayden Hackney transfer decision - Wolves won't be happy | OneFootball

Boro have informed their star midfielder that he won't be going anywhere before the 7pm deadline tonight, FLW understands.

Middlesbrough have told Hayden Hackney that he will not be leaving the Riverside Stadium today despite Boro having fielded offers for him, Football League World has exclusively been informed.

The Teessiders are hoping to put the finishing touches on what has been an excellent summer of transfer business before tonight's 7pm deadline.

In terms of incomings, Rob Edwards has been able to bolster his side significantly with numerous shrewd additions, including Sverre Nypan, Matt Targett, Sontje Hansen, Alfie Jones and Callum Brittain respectively.

Whilst in regards to outgoings, Middlesbrough have banked big profits on the likes of Finn Azaz, Rav van den Berg and Josh Coburn, and are sure to move out a handful more fringe players before the window shuts this evening.

However, in the eyes of many Smoggies, the best piece of transfer business they could've hoped to see their club perform this summer was retaining the services of their own midfield maestro, Hayden Hackney.

But, given his exploits in the Championship, and indeed at international level with England in recent times, that looked a task far easier said than done upon the conclusion of Boro's highly disappointing 2024/25 season.

So, it's been no surprise throughout the summer then to see Middlesbrough's number seven be touted with a big-money move away from his boyhood Boro, with the likes of West Ham, Crystal Palace, Everton and Wolves all being credited with serious interest.

Football League World exclusively revealed last week that Wolves had tabled a £30m package to the Teessiders for Hackney's signature, with the player having informed Boro chiefs that it was his desire to seal a switch to the Premier League should an offer arrive from the top-flight.

Even Championship rivals Ipswich Town saw what would've been a Championship-record £20m offer turned down by Hackney himself, despite Middlesbrough giving him permission to pursue the move to Portman Road had that been his wish.

However, Football League World has now been exclusively informed that despite having received offers for him, Middlesbrough have told Hackney that he will not be sold before the 7pm transfer deadline this evening.

Middlesbrough are making the right decision with Hayden Hackney transfer call

Middlesbrough would've received another huge payday had they cashed in on Hackney this summer, but the value of obtaining the riches that come with Premier League promotion would be priceless for the Teessiders.

Had they decided to sell their outstanding box-to-box academy graduate, however, then getting their hands on that prize would've been made monumentally more challenging, such is his importance to how Boro play.

Whether it's dropping into central defence to get on the ball, making driving runs down the pitch in possession before playing in a teammate, firing home from distance or crashing the box to score from close-range, expertly picking out passes or making goal-saving blocks; Hackney is at the heart of everything Middlesbrough do well.

For many, Hackney and Aidan Morris have formed the best central midfield partnership in the Championship, and so breaking that up and taking him out of the side entirely, would land a hammer blow to Boro's promotion prospects.

Those aren't just any promotion hopes either, as through the opening four games, there's no side in the second tier who is closer to the top-flight than Boro, with the appointment of Edwards looking like a masterstroke.

Therefore, with just hours of the window to go, resisting the temptation of selling Hackney in order to further their own promotion chances makes the most amount of sense for Middlesbrough.

Whilst if the worst comes to worse and Boro don't end their Premier League exile this season, Hackney will surely continue to be arguably the best central midfielder in the second tier this term, and therefore by next summer, could land the club an even bigger cash injection, and himself a better move further up the top-flight.