Crystal Palace tipped to sign Middlesbrough player if they "ever sell Adam Wharton" | OneFootball

Clinton Morrison believes that his former side, Crystal Palace, should be in the race for the Boro midfielder in January

Clinton Morrison believes that his former side, Crystal Palace, should be among the Premier League sides in the running to sign Middlesbrough's midfield maestro Hayden Hackney.

However, with Boro's promotion hopes reignited under Kim Hellberg, the Championship outfit is said to be prepared to do everything they can to keep him for the rest of the campaign, according to a report from Teeside Live.

A four-game winning run under new boss Hellberg has cemented Middlesbrough's place in the top two prior to the Christmas period. Boro are now seven points clear of Preston North End in third, and, as ever, Hackney has been running the show.

He already has nine goal contributions this season, which is a career high, and therefore, the 23-year-old, who was linked with Manchester United and turned down a move to Ipswich Town over the summer, is understandably the subject of interest once more.

Clinton Morrison predicts Premier League football in Hayden Hackney's future - Middlesbrough hopes it'll be with them

After a breakout year last season at the Riverside, where Hackney scored five, assisted three and also provided plenty outside of the standout stats, interest in the 23-year-old was rife.

And after an even better start to the 2025/26 campaign, there's expected interest once more.

Speaking to Freebets.com, former Crystal Palace frontman Clinton Morrison singled out the current FA cupholders as the ideal destination for Hackney if the Eagles were to sell Adam Wharton, but didn't deny that other Premier League clubs should be interested, too.

"I think that the boy at Middlesbrough Hackney can go and play in the Premier League. I think he's a terrific footballer," he said.

"If Palace were ever to sell Adam Wharton, I think they should go and get Hackney. [...] I think he's one of those that I look at and think, 'you've got Premier League written all over you.' He manipulates the ball well, and his box-to-box style and energy are great.

"I think a lot of Premier League clubs will probably be looking at him. I think they probably looked at him in the summer and wondered if he could make that step up.

"I don't think taking chances on these players would be a gamble. Palace are a prime example of getting quality players from that division and excelling at the highest level."

Despite this, and despite the additional transfer links which will no doubt surface between now and the end of the January transfer window, Teesside Live believe that Middlesbrough will be doing everything they can to keep Hackney at the Riverside.

Under Kim Hellberg, plenty of Boro players can say that they've been taken to the next level, but Hackney has been entrusted with the captain's armband in the four games under the Swedish manager, and he's repaid the added faith with three assists.

Evidently, he'll be the beating heart of Boro's promotion charge in the second half of the campaign, and keeping him at all costs will give the side the best chance at a Premier League return.

Middlesbrough could claim a huge windfall for Hayden Hackney this January — keeping him may be a risk

As is the case with the January transfer window, player prices are inflated slightly due to the short turnaround and demand to replace outgoings immediately.

Boro accepted a £20 million bid from Ipswich for Hackney in the summer, which the 23-year-old rejected himself. You'd expect that the price tag would increase from one window to the other, regardless, but a stellar start to the current campaign will inflate it even further.

According to the Teesside Live report, it would take a "huge offer" for Boro to "even consider" allowing Hackney to leave in January, but perhaps if that offer did come, it would be wise to accept it.

The 23-year-old has just 18 months remaining on his contract. With the form he's in and the fact that he'll be in his final year next season, this January could be the highest point in Hackney's value for the foreseeable future.

While keeping him would give Boro a big chance of securing promotion, and if they do, then Hackney may even sign fresh terms in the Premier League, but if they don't, they could find themselves having to sell for a cut-price to avoid their star midfielder leaving for free in 2027.

So, there's a risk that may come with the reward of keeping the most vital part of the machine at the Riverside past January. For Boro, if their 'not for sale' stance continues into the upcoming window, it seems like it's a risk they're willing to take.