"No chance" - Middlesbrough FC warning fired to Hayden Hackney amid Man Utd transfer talk | OneFootball

FLW's Boro fan pundit has his say on whether Hayden Hackney could slot straight into Man Utd's midfield amid transfer interest from the Red Devils.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Middlesbrough midfielder Hayden Hackney has recently been linked with a summer switch to Manchester United.

GiveMeSport reported last week that Hackney was catching the eye of Premier League sides, with United believed to be interested in him as a potential back-up target, while Crystal Palace are also understood to be keen.

In United’s case, the 22-year-old could provide them with a more youthful option in midfield next season, amid uncertainty over the futures of veterans Casemiro and Christian Eriksen.

GiveMeSport also believed Middlesbrough could be ready to cash in on the youngster, with their prospects of promotion back to the Premier League now seeming unlikely this term.

Hackney would likely need to wait for his chance at Man Utd

As impressive as Hackney has been for Boro in the Championship this season, representing one of the biggest clubs in the country, and arguably the world, is another level entirely.

With the immediate futures of Casemiro and Eriksen uncertain, plus the fact that Kobbie Mainoo is yet to sign a new deal, United could be set for a total overhaul of their midfield at some point in the near future.

With that in mind, we asked FLW’s resident Boro fan pundit, Jasper Hudson, whether Hackney would be capable of immediately stepping into the shoes of someone like Casemiro, who is in the latter stages of his career.

Hackney has been told he would need to step up his game to force his way into Ruben Amorim's starting side, if he was to complete a move to the Red Devils.

Jasper said: “Hackney has been subject to interest ever since Porto started looking at him and made that bid of £10million.

“He’s a very good player and he’s showcased that well for us. It’s no surprise that clubs are in for him - he’s been a good player for us this season. But I feel he’s always lacked that next step that could take him on to be a top-level player.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if a few clubs wanted to take a risk on him. With him being English, he’s got that added appeal (for Premier League sides). He’s home grown through Middlesbrough and has made lots of senior appearances at a young age, so there’s lots of positives to him as a signing – especially for clubs like Manchester United.

“But there is no chance he is anywhere near the level of Casemiro. It’s going to take a lot for him to show that he is at that level and he’d have to step his game up a lot.”

It is no surprise to see Hackney subject to interest

With the way Hackney has performed over the course of this campaign, it will surely be a matter of time before he is playing Premier League football, either with or without Middlesbrough.

While the midfielder is primarily responsible for dictating the play from a deep-lying role for Michael Carrick’s side, he still has five league goals and two assists to his name this season.

He has rapidly become one of Boro’s most reliable and consistent performers, a feat which is particularly impressive for a young player in a league as chaotic as the Championship can be.

The academy graduate is under contract at the Riverside Stadium until the summer of 2027, but with the level of interest that has been shown in him of late, it seems almost inevitable that he will move on at some point soon.

Although Manchester United and Crystal Palace are the interested parties on this occasion, the likes of Tottenham and Liverpool have been keen in the past, while Portuguese side Porto have previously had a bid of £10million rejected.

While everyone at Middlesbrough would be disappointed to lose a home grown talent who is as influential as Hackney, knowing how big a fee a player of his quality could command, it must surely be tempting for the club to do a deal with one of the big boys.