Wolves step up pursuit of Hayden Hackney after player gives green light
Wolves will step up their pursuit of Haydeck Hackney after the player insisted to Middlesbrough that he wants a Premier League move.
Hackney‘s future has been under speculation all summer, with the likes of Everton, Crystal Palace and Ipswich all linked with him.
The central midfielder enjoyed a fine 2024/25 Championship season, sitting first among Boro players in a number of key metrics before playing a part in England’s triumphant U21 Euros campaign.
Hackney rejected a move to Ipswich earlier in the summer in favour of waiting for a Premier League move, but Middlesbrough have continued to insist the 23-year-old homegrown is not for sale (Northern Echo, 26 August).
Wolves shortlist Hayden Hackney
Boro are desperate to keep Hackney as they push for promotion to the Premier League, and the Redcar-born playmaker has made an excellent start to the campaign — registering a goal and an assist in three Championship appearances, with Boro joint-top with maximum points so far.
However, as revealed by Football Insider (27 August), Hackney remains steadfast in his position that he wants to leave for Premier League football now, rather than wait for a possible promotion from the Championship.
| 2025/26 Championship stats | Hayden Hackney |
| Appearances | 3 |
| Goals | 1 |
| Assists | 1 |
| Shots | 7 |
| Chances created | 5 |
| Passes completed | 140 |
That seems to have caught the attention of Wolves, who have identified central midfield as a position in need of strengthening.
According to The Telegraph’s John Percy (28 August), Hackney is now on Vitor Pereira’s shortlist of potential midfield targets to bring in before the end of the transfer window, with a battle against Boro now seemingly inevitable.
Middlesbrough face difficult Hayden Hackney choice
Football Insider verdict
It’s understandable why Boro would want to keep hold of Hackney.
The England youth international was the beating heart of their midfield last season, and has been a key contributor to their strong start to the current campaign.
The North East side will feel that any major outgoing at this point could have the potential to derail their good early work, ultimately jeopardising a return to the Premier League.
But as is the case with any transfer, if the player wants the move, it can be very difficult to keep him. Boro need only look up the road at Newcastle’s battle to keep Alexander Isak from Liverpool for evidence of that.
The pressure will ramp up in the final days of the transfer windows as Premier League clubs with bigger budgets bring their finances to bear. Simultaneously, that will embolden Hackney to push Boro even harder for the move.
If Boro aren’t careful, they may find themselves in a situation where they’ve fought that hard to keep Hackney, that they’re left with no time to find a replacement when he leaves for the Premier League.