- West Ham join race for Middlesbrough’s Hayden Hackney
- Coventry City are also interested
- The midfielder is expected to leave Middlesbrough if they fail to get promoted
West Ham United have joined the race for Championship Player of the Year, Hayden Hackney. The Middlesbrough midfielder has been a sensation this season and looks set for the Premier League, with or without his current club.
Coventry City, the top flight’s new boys, are also interested in Hackney, having faced off against him twice this season. Sky Blues boss, Frank Lampard, is said to see him as one of the building blocks of the team he wants to build for next season.
Hackney’s Middlesbrough currently sit two points behind 2nd placed Ipswich Town. Boro now need both Ipswich Town and Millwall to lose, whilst they would need to beat Wrexham on the final day to get into the automatic positions. Otherwise it will be the lottery of the playoffs for Middlesbrough this season.
West Ham interested in Hayden Hackney
23-year-old Hackney has a lot of the same traits as current West Ham midfielder, Mateus Fernandes. Whilst Fernandes brings flair, Hackney brings the attacking numbers that could make him the ideal replacement should the Portugal international get snapped up this summer.
This season, Hackney has six goals and seven assists from partaking in a playmaker role from deep midfield. Whilst this is his preferred position, the Englishman can play anywhere centrally, with his abilities making him a versatile midfielder.
Hayden Hackney’s 2025/26 Middlesbrough Statistics
| Appearances | Goals | Assists |
| 40 | 6 | 7 |
TalkSPORT confirmed it is not just West Ham and Coventry interested in Hackney, with Nottingham Forest and Everton also monitoring the player.
Whilst keeping hold of Fernandes will be an-almost impossible task for the Hammers, Hackney presents a realistic replacement. Not only that, much like West Ham’s situation with Fernandes, Hackney will almost certainly leave Middlesbrough if they do not secure promotion to the Premier League this season.
