West Ham given extra incentive to ‘watch out’ for Hayden Hackney as summer plans known
West Ham are keeping close tabs on Middlesbrough gem Hayden Hackney.
The Hammers have plans in place for both Premier League relegation and survival, as targets for a summer rebuild have been outlined.
The Boro star is firmly among those plans for David Sullivan, as sources have claimed that West Ham could lodge a club-record bid for the midfielder, should they stay up this season.
The England youth international has continued to excel in the Championship this term, and Sullivan may now make a detailed structure for an attempt to lure him to the London Stadium soon.
Martin Allen approves of Hayden Hackney amid West Ham interest
As highlighted by Sofascore, Hackney is a top performer in the Championship, averaging a match rating of 7.22.
He is an all-action midfielder who can do both sides of the game well, but particularly impresses with his unique ball-carrying ability.
- Hackney wins 1.9 tackles per game
- He makes 2.1 key passes per game
Former West Ham star Martin Allen appears to be a huge fan of the 23-year-old and has told people to keep an eye out on the Boro skipper.
Commenting on X, Alen wrote: “Watch out for Hackney, Middlesbrough midfielder. He will be playing [at the] top level.”
Gaining approval from Allen could be what Sullivan needs as confidence that Hackney truly is the real deal, ahead of a push to sign him in a few months.
What did Hackney just do for Middlesbrough vs QPR?
West Ham already has a solid midfield set up for the future under Nuno Espirito Santo, and even if the Hammers do get relegated, they have some trusty young stars to rely on.
However, with survival the aim, the Irons will be doing everything they can to stay in the top flight, which then gives them a better chance to land their top targets.
Hackney played yet another starring role for Middlesbrough in their promotion-chasing side’s 4-0 battering of QPR, scoring the goal of the contest easily.
It was just another reminder of why the Hammers need to go all out for his signature this summer, because if not, another Premier League side will take him in.
For even more West Ham transfer news, head over to Football Insider.