Hayden Hackney exit fear raised at Middlesbrough as new transfer reveal emerges | OneFootball

It has been reported that Portuguese giants FC Porto have renewed their interest in signing England U21 midfielder Hayden Hackney from Middlesbrough.

Middlesbrough will already be bracing themselves ahead of the summer transfer window, with Portuguese Primeira Liga giants FC Porto said to have renewed their interest in signing midfielder Hayden Hackney.

The 22-year-old Redcar-born midfielder has previously been the subject of interest from several clubs in England, such as Crystal Palace, Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur.

It had also been reported at the back end of the winter transfer window that Boro had rejected a couple of late offers from the Portuguese side for their midfield gem, however those rejections don't appear to have put Porto off returning for the midfielder this summer.

It is believed the latest offer to be rejected in the winter was in the region of £10 million, with Middlesbrough not in a position where they needed to sell given the departure of Emmanuel Latte Lath to Atlanta United for a fee believed to be £22.5 million.

Hayden Hackney wanted by Porto again with Stuttgart also monitoring Middlesbrough man

According to Lyall Thomas of Sky Sports, 'Boro are preparing to receive an offer from Porto with Hackney enjoying yet another impressive season on Teesside.

Hackney, who has two years left on his deal at the Riverside Stadium, is also catching the eye of Stuttgart, who are said to be 'seriously considering' a move for the Englishman, alongside Premier League clubs.

Hackney came through the academy at Middlesbrough and made his first-team debut for the club at the back end of the 2020/21 Championship campaign before being loaned out to Scunthorpe United in League Two for the 2021/22 season.

Since returning to ‘Boro, he has established himself as a key player in the Middlesbrough midfield with 34 league appearances in the 2022/23 season and then 21 in 2023/24 due to a couple of injuries. He has started all but three of ‘Boro’s league games this term.

Internationally, Hackney represented England at under-15's level before switching allegiance to play for Scotland’s under-21’s in 2022, but then returned to representing England at the same level a year later, where he has now earned nine caps for Lee Carsley’s Young Lions.

FC Porto will be on the lookout for a midfielder of Hackney’s profile this summer because of the sale of Nico Gonzalez to Manchester City in the winter transfer window, as well as reported previous interest from the likes of Liverpool and AC Milan in their vice-captain Alan Varela this summer.

Porto have endured a difficult time of it this season as they sit fourth in the Portuguese top-flight in what is Andre Villas-Boas’ first season as president of the club following the departure of Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa in May 2024 after 42 years in charge of the club.

Middlesbrough missing the play-offs could spell the end of Hayden Hackney

It has been a frustrating and disappointing season for Porto, but the same can also be said for Middlesbrough as they head into the final day of the Championship campaign this weekend sitting outside of the top six and the play-off places.

They in-fact now sit ninth in the table, having been leapfrogged by both Blackburn Rovers and Millwall, but ‘Boro do have a good chance of making the top six if they can defeat the team currently in sixth, Coventry City, away from home this weekend.

Michael Carrick has been coming under growing pressure from Middlesbrough supporters following an apparent stagnation since his first impressive season in charge where they were losing play-off semi-finalists to, ironically, Coventry.