Credit: Imago

Oliver Walton

Tue 7 April 2026 16:00, UK

Follow us on Google Discover

Nottingham Forest are set to accelerate a move for Middlesbrough star Hayden Hackney but should also be considering a move for his teammate Aidan Morris after he shone in his absence.

Morris was one of Boro’s standout performers as they drew 2-2 to Swansea City in South Wales on Easter Monday.

Fellow midfielder Hackney missed out on the match with a calf injury, but his standout performances this term have thrust him onto the radar of several Premier League sides.

Man United, Everton and Leeds have each been linked to the 23-year-old, but Nottingham Forest have now also joined the race for his services ahead of the summer.

Forest’s transfer plans are set to hinge on which league they are playing in next term, and Morris should be considered as an alternative to Hackney if they are beaten to his signature by a better-placed side.

Aidan Morris has impressed at Middlesbrough and shone vs Swansea

Morris is nearing the end of his second season as a Boro player after joining the club from Columbus Crew in 2024.

The 14-cap USA international has built a strong relationship in midfield with Hackney to help Kim Hellberg’s side push for promotion, and has registered three assists in 37 appearances so far this term.

Sources have told Football Insider that Forest are accelerating a move for Hackney ahead of the summer window, but Morris should also be catching their eye.

He was one of Boro’s best players against Swansea on Monday, as shown by his impressive statistics from the match in the absence of his injured teammate.

The Northern Echo praised his efforts as “remarkable”, and Forest should definitely have him on their radar as a Hackney alternative.

A move for Morris would remain realistic even if they were relegated from the Premier League this season, while they only stand a chance of signing Hackney if they stay up.

What are Forest’s current chances of avoiding relegation according to Opta?

Vitor Pereira’s side have not played in over two weeks, but are back in action this Thursday as they face Porto in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final tie.

The Reds then take on Aston Villa on Sunday, with another six league games left after that to avoid relegation to the Championship.

They are 16th and three points ahead of the bottom three right now, so Opta’s supercomputer has given them a slim 8.13 per cent chance of going down.

Wolves and Burnley are each over 99 per cent likely to be relegated, while West Ham are backed to join them in the Championship, with a 58.41 per cent likelihood of doing so ahead of Spurs, Leeds and Forest.