'He's too good to be here': Middlesbrough boss drops brutal truth regarding Newcastle United target
Newcastle United have been keeping a close eye on Middlesbrough midfielder Hayden Hackney for a while now.
The England Under-21 star was part of the European Championship-winning side in the summer alongside Tino Livramento.
The Magpies have had Hackney on their radar for a while and with him entering the final year of his contract this summer, there's expected to be a bit of a tussle for his signature.
Middlesbrough are chasing promotion and may feel that if they nab a spot in the Premier League, they may convince him to stay, but Newcastle and Manchester United are thought to be waiting in the wings.
If Michael Carrick gets the Man United gig on a permanent basis, which is looking highly likely given the start he's made as interim manager, the former Middlesbrough boss will hold a fair bit of sway with Hackney for sure.
Middlesbrough's current boss, Kim Hellberg, is under no illusions just how difficult it's going to be to keep hold of the 23-year-old, as he told reporters that Hackney is too good for Middlesbrough in a recent interview (via The Shields Gazette).
“I think he’s too good to be here. I say that in a positive way, I think he would be a top player in most of the Premier League teams with the quality he has. I think he’s everything you want in a player. First, he’s an unbelievable football player, then he wants to do everything for Middlesbrough. He’s always happy, always smiling, always working hard.
“He’s so good, but then he still works together with everyone else to make everyone happy. You cannot be more proud when you see how he fights for everyone else. He helps everyone in every training session, it doesn’t matter if it’s a young person coming up from the Under-21s, you see Hayden talking to him and pushing him. That is what you want in a captain, a leader and a player for the club. I think he’s amazing in every way.”
Newcastle are in the market for an exciting young midfielder, and it seems highly unlikely that they'll be the side that manages to land AZ Alkmaar's Kees Smit this summer, so Hackney would be a very good alternative.
If Middlesbrough make it into the Premier LEague they will no doubt be able to add a couple of million pounds extra onto his asking price, but with just a year left on his deal, it's unlikely to be anything out of Newcastle's comfort zone. I mean, they've been saving money all January to spend in the summer, so surely we've got plenty.
Man United will be a tough club to beat in the market, though, especially if Carrick is given the job. On the flip side, Hackney won't have to move far if he heads to Newcastle.
