Michael Carrick wants Jason Wilcox to sign £30m midfielder for Man Utd as ‘dream target’ roadblock emerges | OneFootball

Manchester United interim manager Michael Carrick has already identified Hayden Hackney as his first major signing for the summer of 2026, according to a report, as Chelsea’s plan to stop Cole Palmer from moving to Old Trafford is revealed.

Carrick was appointed the interim manager of Man Utd earlier this month, with the former Red Devils midfielder to stay in the role for the rest of the season. Sources have told TEAMtalk’s transfer correspondent, Fraser Fletcher, that Carrick has been assured by Man Utd co-owners, INEOS, that he will be part of the discussion when the club look for a permanent manager in the summer of 2026.

We have long reported that Man Utd plan to rebuild their midfield in 2026, with Adam Wharton, Carlos Baleba and Elliot Anderson on their shortlist.

Our transfer insider, Dean Jones, reported on January 15 that Hayden Hackney of Middlesbrough is also on Man Utd’s radar.

Sources have told us that Middlesbrough want £30million (€34.6m, $41.1m) for the midfielder, who worked with current Man Utd interim manager Carrick at the Riverside Stadium.

According to Sports Boom, Carrick wants Man Utd to sign the 23-year-old midfielder in the summer of 2026, should he become the permanent manager.

The report has claimed that Carrick will try to ‘convince’ Man Utd director of football, Jason Wilcox, to get a deal done for Hackney, with the former England international midfielder of the belief that the 23-year-old ‘has the capabilities required to rejuvenate the club’s engine room’.

Want more breaking transfer lines from original sources? Add TEAMtalk as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trust.

Chelsea plan for Cole Palmer

Cole Palmer is another of Man Utd’s targets for 2026, with our transfer correspondent, Fraser Fletcher, revealing that the Red Devils are considering a bid for the former Manchester City attacking midfielder in the summer of 2026.

Sources have told us that Palmer is Man Utd’s ‘dream target’ and is unsettled in London.

We understand that the England international is ready to switch from Chelsea to Man Utd.

However, Chelsea have no intention of selling Palmer, and, according to Sports Boom, the Blues have hatched a plan to keep the 23-year-old at Stamford Bridge.

The report has claimed that Chelsea are prepared to offer a new and improved contract to Palmer to stop him from leaving for Man Utd.

Palmer earns £6million (€7m, $8.2m) per year at Chelsea, and the London club are willing to increase his salary.

The Spanish news outlet, which is often speculative, has claimed that Madrid are planning to make a bid for Fernandes in the summer of 2026.

The Portugal international attacking midfielder, too, is said to be keen on swapping Old Trafford for Estadio Bernabeu.

The 31-year-old has been at Man Utd since January 2020 and is under contract at the Premier League club until the summer of 2027, with the option for a further year.