Spurs and Newcastle will like what they are seeing from Middlesbrough's Hayden Hackney | OneFootball

Spurs and Newcastle will be watching one particular side of Hayden Hackney's game closely at Middlesbrough.

Hayden Hackney is one of the brightest young talents emerging in English football, currently making waves at Middlesbrough and catching the eye of the likes of Newcastle United and Spurs in the Premier League.

A product of Middlesbrough’s famed academy, Hackney embodies the club’s tradition of developing homegrown talent. The best attributes within his skill-set mean that he is capable of playing as a deep-lying playmaker at his very best, where the 22-year-old has already cemented his place as a key part of Michael Carrick’s side.

He's a Premier League player in the making, which is likely to be a reality next season. That could be with Boro or after a move to the top-flight in the summer if Carrick's side miss out on promotion. Newcastle United and Tottenham are two sides who retain an interest in Hackney.

However, according to Give Me Sport, both teams look set to miss out on the Boro talent in January, with Carrick's side determined to hold on to the player for the remainder of the 2024/25 campaign. They will hope that his development in key areas this season will be a crucial factor in winning games to gain promotion.

Hayden Hackney is the perfect midfielder for Michael Carrick

Hackney's ability to move the ball quickly and effectively makes him the perfect tempo-setter for Carrick's possession-based philosophy, and is something that he is well-renowned for. As a player who dictates the tempo, Hackney thrives in a role that requires intelligence, vision, and precision. Those sorts of qualities are what have likely caught the eye of the top clubs in the country so far.

One of his standout qualities is his range of passing. Whether it’s short, intricate combinations or longer, progressive passes that break opposition lines, Hackney has the ability to unlock defences or free up the forward players to do damage in dangerous areas and generate chances of their own.

He excels at punching passes with sharp, driven balls into the feet of attacking players, which allows Middlesbrough to transition quickly from defence to attack. His ability to break lines with such passes is crucial to the way Carrick wants his team to possess the ball but also be constantly forward-thinking, with the intent of unbalancing the opposition at speed and with regularity.

So far, he is the player with by far the most progressive passes in the Championship, per FBref. His volume of passes in general is high, but 147 progressive passes is 45 higher than Matt Grimes — with the second-most in the division. His 295 passes into the final third is far more than any other player as well, with midfield partner Aidan Morris the next highest at 177.

In 2024/25, he will play a pivotal role in the heart of midfield. His composure on the ball and ability to dictate play in the middle of the park make him a standout performer in the Championship already, with Hackney, in many ways, mirroring the style Carrick himself was known for as a player.

That makes him an ideal fit to execute the vision of his manager at Middlesbrough. Carrick's trust in Hackney is a testament to the young midfielder's footballing intelligence and ability to learn and take on information from one of English football's best deep-lying playmakers over the last few decades.

The latest developments will have Premier League sides casting a keener eye on Hsckney, though. The 22-year-old has shown visible signs of adding further strings to his bow and skill-set this season.

Hackney's physical development at Middlesbrough

In the 2024/25 season, Hayden Hackney has visibly grown into a more physically imposing midfielder for Middlesbrough. His development in strength and robustness is evident in how he handles the physical demands of the Championship, now winning more duels and tackles compared to previous seasons.

Hackney’s increased physicality complements his technical ability, allowing him to shield the ball more effectively and outmuscle opponents in central areas. This added grit has made him more of an all-round player, capable of breaking up play and regaining possession in midfield, while still maintaining his composure on the ball. His development has made him an even more influential figure in Carrick’s side.

The data, per FotMob, suggests that Hackney is becoming a seriously special talent. His passing numbers are ridiculous but he is in the 100th percentile for ball recoveries among Championship midfielders, the 87th percentile for recoveries, and the 86th for duels won.

Not only that, but he is in the 69th percentile for tackles won, and is also tenacious in pressing from the front with his seven possession regains in the final third placing him in the 91st percentile. All of this is made all the more impressive when you also add in the context of Middlesbrough's dominance with the ball, having had the fifth-highest possession on average thus far.

Hackney looks physically stronger and more powerful, which is now making it easier to impose himself on games in every regard, which is only going to drive his price up and also create more interest in his services. Despite the fact that the Championship is plenty physical enough in its own right, the Premier League is another step up in terms of the intensity, athleticism, and physicality required to make it.

However, Hackney is mixing it when battling with the Championship's burliest and most experienced midfield operators, becoming a more rounded player with every passing game and one which Spurs, Newcastle, and more will be desperate to sign in the summer should his current development curve continue to be so sharp.

The game against Norwich City showcased this added feather in Hackney's cap perfectly, with his 12 duels four higher than any other player on the pitch for either team.