Brighton & Hove Albion and Fulham were both in attendance to watch Hayden Hackney orchestrate Middlesbrough’s 4–1 win over Hull City last weekend, with both clubs weighing up a possible January move, sources say.
The Redcar-born midfielder has come through the academy at The Riverside and has now made 130 appearances since debuting under Jonathan Woodgate in January 2021. Having taken major strides under Michael Carrick, Hackney is viewed as one of the most complete English midfielders still outside the Premier League.
He proved that again in Kim Hellberg’s second match in charge, dominating midfield as Boro secured another convincing victory. Middlesbrough remain second in the table, seven points behind Coventry City, and look on course to challenge for promotion in 2026.
However, Boro have made it clear to Hellberg that they do not want to part with Hackney, who turned down a summer switch to Ipswich Town. His excellent start to the season has only increased interest from higher-placed clubs.
Both Brighton and Fulham sent scouts to the MKM Stadium to watch the 23-year-old former England U21 international in action.
Last January, Boro sold top scorer Emmanuel Latte-Lath to Atlanta United for £16.5m (€19m, $22m), a record outgoing fee for the club. Many believe that sale cost Carrick a play-off place, and the hierarchy are determined not to repeat that mistake.
As such, the club value Hackney at no less than £25m (€28.6m, $33.3m), using the fee Bournemouth paid for Alex Scott in 2023 as a benchmark. In reality, it is expected that any bid would need to go beyond that figure to persuade chairman Steve Gibson.
Even so, Middlesbrough may face serious pressure to hold firm once the January market opens.
Fulham eye three additions in January; signs point to a Carlos Baleba exit
Fulham are preparing an ambitious January window, with plans to bring in three new signings to bolster Marco Silva’s squad. With Silva’s contract expiring in June, he is pushing for reinforcements to help steer the club away from relegation danger — and Hackney is among the names being considered.
Sources have also shared Samuel Chukwueze’s position on making his loan from AC Milan permanent after becoming a regular in SW6.
Brighton monitoring Hackney amid Man Utd interest in Baleba
Brighton’s interest in Hackney comes as speculation grows around Manchester United’s pursuit of Carlos Baleba. Over the weekend, two significant hints suggested the Cameroon midfielder may be edging closer to an Old Trafford move.