Nottingham Forest 'advancing plans' to move for Middlesbrough star after Wembley heartache
The latest Middlesbrough transfer talk as Kim Hellberg's side prepare for another season in the Championship.
Middlesbrough’s agonising Championship play-off final defeat against Hull City has left question marks over the future of several members of Kim Hellberg’s squad.
Ollie McBurnie’s injury-time goal at Wembley meant Boro are now preparing for another season in the Championship - but it also means they face a major battle to retain the services of a number of their current squad. Academy graduate and captain Hayden Hackney is at the top of that list as the influential midfielder will now enter the final 12 months of his current deal at the Riverside Stadium - and a major decision lies ahead for the player and the club.
Speaking in March after a win at Queens Park Rangers, Boro boss Hellberg stressed Hackney ‘will end up in the Premier League someday’ and left no doubt over how highly he rates the midfielder.
He said: “He is getting better all the time. I think he gets better every day, and understands more and more about how we work, and the spaces for him. And then, of course, the quality he has is unbelievable to work with. The quality he has as a player is unbelievable. The way he drives with the ball… He's working on his finishing, and that we have seen with some brilliant finishes.
“Norwich at home and this one is two beautiful goals. He also has the first chance in the first half, so he's unbelievable to work with. He's a pleasure and such a great guy for us to work with. He's a top player. He has everything and he will end up in the Premier League someday, and hopefully with us. Top, top player.”
Hackney has been linked with several Premier League clubs in recent months - and TeamTalk have now reported Nottingham Forest are ready to step up their interest in the Boro star just months after they were unsuccessful with a bid for the midfielder during the final days of the January transfer window.
They suggest the 23-year-old is ‘expected to become one of the major casualties’ of Boro’s failed promotion bid and reveals Forest will face competition from Tottenham Hotspur, Brentford, Everton, Fulham, Crystal Palace, Brighton and Bournemouth after they all watched Hackney in action.
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