3 potential Hayden Hackney replacements if Middlesbrough FC star leaves in January transfer window | OneFootball

FLW takes a look at a number of potential Hackney replacements if Boro's midfield star leaves in January...

Hayden Hackney has been an integral part of Middlesbrough's midfield since his first-team breakthrough in 2022, but the England youth international's impressive performances have caught the eye of Premier League clubs.

Manchester United, Liverpool, Tottenham and Newcastle United have all been credited with an interest in the 22-year-old in recent times, as Boro are faced with the prospect of losing their star midfielder in the near future.

Middlesbrough will no doubt be desperate to retain his services in the January transfer window, but a big-money offer from the Premier League could prove difficult for the club, and indeed the player, to turn down.

Therefore, head of football Kieran Scott and head coach Michael Carrick will surely have some targets in mind should the worst happen, and Hackney departs in the winter window.

But who might they be? Football League World takes a look at three potential Hackney replacements should Middlesbrough sell the midfielder in the new year.

Josh Eccles - Coventry City

A player who can divide opinion at times among Coventry City supporters, but whose quality is unquestioned when he's at his best, Josh Eccles is perhaps one of the more underrated central midfielders in the Championship.

The 24-year-old is fresh off the back of arguably his best individual season as a Sky Blues player, and was the first in which he made it through the campaign with a clean bill of health, and it showed.

One goal and six assists in 51 total appearances last term saw Eccles really cement himself as a key player at the CBS Arena, as he and fellow midfield partner Ben Sheaf formed one of the better partnerships in the division.

Sheaf has perhaps been the player who has received more of the headlines for his performances, but make no mistake, Eccles is an essential part of Mark Robins' side.

As a local lad playing for his hometown club, prizing him away from Coventry could be tricky, but it could also be a tempting opportunity to really prove to his Sky Blues skeptics just how talented a player he is at Championship level.

Boro supporters will also be well aware of his ability, having bagged a goal and an assist during Coventry's 3-0 victory over the Teessiders at the Riverside Stadium on matchday 13.

Matt Grimes - Swansea City

If it's consistency you want, there haven't been many central midfielders who've shown more of that than Swansea's Matt Grimes in recent years.

The central midfielder has established himself as a Swansea legend after breaking into the first-team side back in 2018, and he's been one of the Championship's best and most reliable players ever since.

In fact, if you were to ask a Swans fan to identify Grimes' last noticeably poor performance for the club, you'd best hope you have nowhere to be as you may be waiting for a reply for a very long time.

Grimes can, and does do it all from his central midfield role. Whether that's scoring goals, providing assists, winning his midfield duels, making expertly timed tackles and pretty much everything else that a top midfielder provides.

If you could assemble the ideal central midfielder to operate in Carrick's system, Grimes' signature would come with all the parts.

Lewis Travis - Blackburn Rovers

With his long-term Blackburn Rovers future in doubt, now could be the time to strike for any club with a serious interest in Lewis Travis.

The 27-year-old central midfielder spent the second half of last season on loan with Ipswich Town, as he played his part in aiding the Tractor Boys' promotion to the Premier League.

Having returned to Ewood Park this summer, the combative midfielder has reprised his role as a key player in Rovers' side, but his long-term future with the club is in doubt, as he's only contracted with Blackburn through the 2025/26 season.

Therefore, Rovers may be open to cashing in on him sooner rather than later, as they'll no doubt want to ensure they receive as much compensation as possible if they are to sell.

Many Middlesbrough supporters have lambasted the lack of leaders in Carrick's side recently, but that's exactly what Boro would be getting if they were to sign Travis..

So, whilst he may not be as flashy as the other two names on this list, Travis is the type of central midfielder who can be worth his weight in gold for the energy, bite, leadership and defensive ability he possesses.