Manchester United and Tottenham to battle for £30m Championship star who played for new United boss Carrick

Manchester United and Tottenham are keeping tabs on Middlesbrough midfielder Hayden Hackney. The 23-year-old has been a mainstay in the Boro side that sit second in the Championship table.

Hackney has scored three goals and added six assists in 26 league appearances for Middlesbrough so far this season, and has been lauded for his maturity and calm demeanor in the centre of the pitch. New interim Manchester United boss Michael Carrick worked with the player previously while managing Boro.

Team Talk has reported that Carrick is now keen on a reunion, but faces competition from Tottenham who are also fond of the player. Hackney has a reported value of £30m, but Boro remain keen to keep hold of their star man until summer at least as they fight for promotion.

Boro sold star forward Emmanuel Latte Lath for a record £18.4m last winter, which many believed impacted their season greatly as they finished 10th. The club is in a much healthier position this time around, as they currently sit six points behind leaders Coventry.

A sale for Hackney would dwarf their previous record.

Tottenham are known to be in the market for more midfield reinforcements. Spurs signed England international Conor Gallagher from Atletico Madrid this window but are keen on strengthening more before the window closes.

United are understood to be in the market for midfielders, with a much publicized short list already wide spread. Brighton’s Carlos Baleba, Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton, and Stuttgart’s Angelo Stiller are some of the names most commonly mentioned.

New boss Carrick is expected to change to a 4-2-3-1 system and will look to change personal to accommodate. The long term futures of Casemiro, Manuel Ugarte, Kobbie Mainoo, and Bruno Fernandes also remain uncertain as United search for cover.

Hackney could be seen as a long term option at Old Trafford. Fulham and Everton are also know admirers of Hackney but have not expressed firm interest at the moment.

Nadji is a football writer with over 10 years of experience covering the Premier League. His work has been featured on Football Fancast, Arsenal-Mania, and Arsenal.com, where he has built a reputation for delivering sharp analysis, engaging storytelling, and in-depth coverage of the game.