West Ham United Are Serious About Landing This Middlesbrough Midfielder: Good Choice For The Hammers? | OneFootball

In a recent interview with Football League World, pundit Carlton Palmer revealed that West Ham United are serious about landing Middlesbrough midfielder Hayden Hackney. Palmer said,

“West Ham, amongst other Premier League clubs, are very serious about signing Middlesbrough’s young star Hayden Hackney.

“Hayden’s been blighted by injury this season, which has hampered his season somewhat.

“But he has done very, very well in now being selected for the England U21s.

“With Middlesbrough’s lack of consistency this season, it’s going to be difficult for them to overhaul a seven-point deficit to at least get in the play-offs.

“So, it is a feeling that Hayden will leave Middlesbrough in the summer for pastures new.

“Certainly, he will be going to the Premier League, and it’s believed, although he’s had a dip in form, that Middlesbrough would be looking to expect a fee of £12m to 15m.

“Obviously, it’s always difficult to see whether a player can step up to the Premier League, but he’s a young lad with plenty, plenty of ability, and that has earned him a call-up to the England U21s.

“So, yes I think should Middlesbrough not get promoted this season, we could see Hayden Hackney leaving.

“You look at a club like West Ham, would he get a chance to play at West Ham? Probably more likely to break through into West Ham’s first team than one of the bigger clubs, so yes that could be a very, very good move for the player.”

Hackney’s Impressive Run Of Form In English Football

Hackney has put in a series of impressive displays at the centre of Middlesbrough’s midfield during this campaign. The 21-year-old has scored two goals and grabbed two assists in 28 matches for the Boro this season across multiple competitions.

MIDDLESBROUGH, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 04: Hayden Hackney of Middlesbrough reacts during the Sky Bet Championship match between Middlesbrough and Sunderland at Riverside Stadium on February 04, 2024 in Middlesbrough, England. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)

The English talent has caught the eye in the middle of the park by averaging 1.7 tackles, 1.2 shots, 1.2 key passes and 0.8 dribbles per 90 minutes in the EFL Championship. He has even been accurate when distributing possession from midfield after completing 87.9% of his attempted passes in the second tier of English football (stats via whoscored).

Is Hackney A Good Choice For West Ham United?

Hackney is a solid tackler of the ball and can make some driving runs with the ball from midfield. He can even shoot the ball purely and with venom from long range. Furthermore, the English sensation can be a decent playmaker in the opponent’s half.

Hence, Hackney would be an excellent choice for the Hammers as he has the quality to be a success story at the London Stadium in the long run. He is already good enough to compete for a regular starting spot at the East London club.

All in all, West Ham should focus on getting a deal done for him in the summer.