Middlesbrough boss Rob Edwards reveals Boro's stance on Hayden Hackney contract extension | OneFootball

Hayden Hackney has been one of Middlesbrough's star performers this season.

Middlesbrough head coach Rob Edwards has revealed that Boro will 'always try' when it comes to signing star midfielder Hayden Hackney to a contract extension.

The North East outfit entered a new era this summer as they waved goodbye to Michael Carrick and welcomed Edwards as their new manager.

After losing big names such as Finn Azaz, Rav van den Berg and Emmanuel Latte Lath since the previous January transfer window, expectations among fans and pundits alike weren’t set too high for Boro this term, with it uncertain how well they would perform under their new leadership.

However, Edwards’ side have come flying out of the blocks and have set a real marker down with their performances thus far.

Victories over competitive sides such as Ipswich Town, Millwall, and West Brom highlight the threat Boro possess, with this also reflected in the league table.

The Riverside outfit sits second behind Coventry City and will close up to one point behind Frank Lampard’s side if they can defeat Sheffield Wednesday away from home this evening.

One of the key factors to Middlesbrough’s success has been their wealth of young talent driving the team forward, with operators such as Tommy Conway, Morgan Whittaker and Hayden Hackney all contributing to the cause.

Rob Edwards makes Hayden Hackney, Middlesbrough contract claim

Hackney, in particular, has excelled for Boro this term, building on the consistent performances he has put in over the past few campaigns.

The 23-year-old was the subject of much transfer speculation during the summer window, as Ipswich Town saw a £20m bid accepted for his services, but Hackney ultimately decided to turn the move down himself in favour of remaining with his boyhood Boro.

Given how well the midfielder is performing, it seems like only a matter of time before he operates out of the Premier League. Edwards, however, has recently spoken out on the possibility of Boro tying their academy graduate down to a new deal.

“He’s a big player for us,” stated Middlesbrough’s boss in an interview via Teesside Live.

“We’ll always try to do what’s right by the football club, but there’s also always an element of what’s right for the players as individuals themselves.

“The most important thing is that he’s here with us right now. I know in the build-up to January, we’ll start to get all those questions [about his future] again. We’re still in October, so hopefully that’s still a little bit off!

“He’s a really good player, and he dealt with all that period of time in the summer really well. Friday night probably just cemented why it’s so important that he’s with us, going up against the team that wanted him.”

Hackney’s current deal at the Riverside expires in 2027, which means that if he can’t reach an agreement over an extension with Middlesbrough, they may be forced into a sale in the near future in order to ensure they still receive a premium price for the England youth international.

Middlesbrough have a few factors on their side when convincing Hackney to stay, which include his affection for the club.

The 23-year-old has come up through Boro’s academy ranks and is a boyhood fan, so would love nothing else than to lead his team back up to the Premier League this season.

Therefore, even if the Riverside outfit doesn’t achieve promotion this term, showing Hackney they are capable of doing so with their strongest push yet, could tempt him into signing a new deal.

If not, Premier League interest is likely to surface in the young midfielder, and this time turning down a move away from Boro may prove too difficult for Hackney.

Indeed, it was reported during the final days of the summer window that Hackney would want to explore a top flight transfer if an offer arrived from that division, but no concrete bids appear to have landed on Boro's desk.

However, he certainly doesn't appear to be a player whose mind is elsewhere, as he continues to run the show in Boro's midfield, putting in superb performance after superb performance during the opening exchanges of the season.