Report: Ipswich agree record Championship fee for top midfield target | OneFootball

Ipswich Make Major Move with £20m Hackney Bid

Statement of Ambition from Ipswich Town

Ipswich Town have signalled their Premier League ambitions in emphatic fashion by agreeing a deal worth more than £20 million for Middlesbrough midfielder Hayden Hackney. As reported by Sky Sports News, the 23-year-old is yet to finalise personal terms, but talks between the player and club are ongoing.

If completed, the move would mark a record-breaking fee paid by a Championship club—an emphatic statement by Kieran McKenna’s side as they prepare for top-flight football for the first time in over two decades.

Premier League-Calibre Midfielder in the Making

Hackney was a standout figure in the Championship last season, registering five goals and three assists for Middlesbrough. He also played a role in England’s U21 Euro-winning campaign this summer, which saw him linked with a host of Premier League sides.

Photo: IMAGO

Sky Sports confirm that “Hackney has been attracting interest from a number of Premier League clubs this summer”, underlining Ipswich’s ambition to get ahead of the queue.

Such attributes make Hackney the kind of dynamic presence Ipswich will desperately need if they are to avoid being overwhelmed in the Premier League.

Record Fee Reflects Changing Landscape

Breaking the Championship transfer record to land Hackney suggests a notable shift in how relegated clubs treat the Championship, they need to return to the Premier League.

The potential £20m+ price tag reflects both Hackney’s ceiling and the competition for his signature. As Sky Sports rightly frame it, “Should the deal go through, Hackney would be a record signing for a Championship club.”

Long-Term Planning over Panic Buying

While Hackney is yet to agree personal terms, the very fact that Ipswich are in a position to negotiate such a high-profile signing speaks volumes. This is no desperate deadline-day dash—it’s strategic squad building. With the club also investing in backroom infrastructure and long-term talent, Hackney would be another piece in a carefully considered puzzle.

Our View – EPL Index Analysis

From an Ipswich fan’s viewpoint, this move is as exciting as it is bold. Supporters have spent years watching more prudent, lower-league transfer activity, so to see the club agree a record-breaking fee for a player courted by Premier League sides is both surreal and satisfying.

Hayden Hackney isn’t just any young prospect—he’s a composed, technically gifted midfielder who looks ready to thrive in the Premier League. His involvement in England’s U21 success only adds to the sense that he’s on the cusp of a breakthrough.

There may be concern over the fee—£20 million is a huge figure for any Championship club. But many fans will argue that this is precisely the kind of risk that will propel Ipswich back into the Premier League. If Hackney hits the ground running, that investment could pay off multiple times over in both performance and resale value.

The key now lies in getting the deal over the line quickly. Personal terms must be settled, and Ipswich can’t afford delays with the Championship season fast approaching. But the intent is there, and for fans, that ambition is everything.