Everton in pole position over Coventry City to sign Middlesbrough star | OneFootball

Everton remain keen on Middlesbrough star Hayden Hackney, who has been a class act in the Championship for Boro this term

Middlesbrough will face an uphill battle to retain Hayden Hackney if they fail to win promotion to the Premier League.

Hackney has not featured for Boro since their 1-1 draw with Bristol City on 14 March, thanks to a calf injury, and Kim Hellberg's men have struggled in recent weeks.

The Riverside Stadium club previously had every chance of clinching automatic promotion to the Premier League alongside Coventry City, but now sit fifth in the Championship table with just three games remaining.

Amid Hackney's absence, Sunday's 2-2 draw with Ipswich Town means that Hellberg's side have failed to win any of their last seven fixtures.

Everton 'leading contenders' in Hayden Hackney transfer race

Hackney has been a class act for Middlesbrough in the Championship this season, proving himself as a capable operator in both a deeper and an attacking midfield role.

The 23-year-old has shown his creative credentials by scoring five goals and producing seven assists in 38 second-tier appearances so far this term.

His most recent goal contribution came when he notched an assist in last month's aforementioned draw with Bristol City, while his last goal came in an emphatic 4-0 victory over Queens Park Rangers on 8 March.

Sadly for Boro, their triumph over QPR was their most recent victory, which has allowed Ipswich, Millwall, and Southampton to overtake them in the automatic promotion race.

Meanwhile, according to TeamTalk, Everton remain keen on Hackney and are a leading contender to land his services, with the report describing David Moyes' men as 'huge admirers' of the 23-year-old.

Despite their Merseyside Derby defeat to Liverpool on Sunday, the Toffees remain in contention to qualify for a European competition, and will need to strengthen their squad depth this summer.

Hackney has arguably shown that he is too good for the Championship, while Everton can offer him Premier League football, which will be particularly appealing to him if Middlesbrough fail to win promotion.

Boro should earn a victory in their next league game, as they face already relegated Sheffield Wednesday, but earning three points against the Owls won't be enough to beat the likes of Ipswich to a second-place finish.

Meanwhile, as reported by the Daily Mail, Premier League newbies Coventry could move to sign Hackney this summer, to bolster their ranks ahead of their top-flight survival bid.

Hayden Hackney would be best served if Everton earn European qualification

Middlesbrough's only chance of retaining Hackney is by earning promotion to the Premier League, which appears unlikely given their poor form.

Boro appear set to head into the Championship play-offs with a lack of momentum on their side, which doesn't bode well for them.

Meanwhile, Hackney will likely be more keen to join Everton than Coventry this summer, as the Toffees have a significantly greater chance of remaining in the Premier League beyond next season than the Sky Blues.

Moyes has taken the Merseyside outfit well away from the relegation conversation and into European contention, making them an even more exciting destination for the current Middlesbrough star.

The Toffees have other talented midfielders among their ranks, including Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and James Garner, so Hackney's only concern would be his game time.

However, if Everton successfully qualify for either the Europa League or the Conference League, Moyes would have more scope for rotation.