Middlesbrough have missed out on £10m Hayden Hackney replacement | OneFootball

Middlesbrough should have been ready to swoop for Swansea midfielder Ethan Galbraith to replace the outgoing Hayden Hackney

Middlesbrough are set for a busy summer transfer window, as Kim Hellberg looks to right the wrongs from last season and fire the Teesside outfit to promotion to the Premier League this time around, but will have to do so without their star midfielder, Hayden Hackney.

Usually, teams are considered lucky when they get two bites of the cherry at promotion, but Middlesbrough's three is a rarity that is unlikely to ever be replicated anytime soon. Unfortunately for Boro, they could not take advantage of their position.

Middlesbrough spent the bulk of the recent campaign inside the top two places with Coventry City, but just two wins in their final ten league games meant the club slipped away from the automatic position on the final straight and into the play-offs.

They would lose 2-1 on aggregate to Southampton in the play-off semi-finals, but following the Saints' expulsion after being found guilty of spying, Boro would be given yet another lifeline, thrust into the play-off final against Hull City.

However, Oli McBurnie's late winner sent the Tigers to the top flight, and unfortunately for Boro, meant another season of Championship football awaits, with the knowledge of Hayden Hackney's departure this summer becoming a formality.

Hackney, 24, is edging closer to the exit door at the Riverside, and Boro may well regret not joining the race for one of the second tier's most highly coveted midfielders as his replacement, with an eight-figure move to a rival pending.

Middlesbrough may regret not joining the race for Swansea City midfielder Ethan Galbraith

Action images

Hackney has been widely regarded as one of the best midfielders in the EFL across the past few years, and his performances in the middle of the park for Boro have seen him earn a wide range of interest from Premier League clubs.

However, it looks as though Everton are close to securing a deal worth roughly £25 million for the former England youth international, as Boro hope to reinvest that money wisely.

Hackney made over 150 appearances for his boyhood club, and won't be easily replaced, as Hellberg looks to prioritise his attacking options first with moves for Aston Villa's Lewis Dobbin and Hull's Kyle Joseph.

The Swedish head coach will be aware more than most of the challenge he faces in replacing Hackney, and should have considered a move for Swansea City star Ethan Galbraith to replace their captain.

Galbraith, 25, is a fully-fledged Northern Irish international, and having progressed through the ranks at Manchester United, has had spells with the likes of Doncaster Rovers and Salford City prior to joining Leyton Orient permanently in the summer of 2023.

The midfielder, who is also capable of deputising at right-back, appeared regularly in West London and was mightily impressive during his two years at Brisbane Road, tempting Swansea into parting ways with £1.5 million for his services last summer.

In what was his first year in the second tier, Galbraith looked a class above in South Wales, making 39 league appearances for the Swans, and has drawn interest from the likes of Wrexham and West Ham United, the latter previously exclusively revealed by Football League World.

Though it now looks as though the Northern Irishman is heading to Championship rivals Stoke City in a deal reportedly worth north of £10 million, in what is a shock move for all parties.

Galbraith previously rejected a fresh deal at the Liberty Stadium a couple of months ago, and fears that he could exit the club had emerged throughout the club's fanbase following this news.

Now, it looks as though those fears have come true, with Stoke parting ways with a lucrative fee to bring him to the Potteries, as Boro may feel as though they have missed a trick in this deal.

Though he has spent just one year in the Championship, Galbraith has exhibited ability akin to that of a Premier League player, and interest in his services was hardly surprising.

With Boro collecting a large fee for Hackney, they could have lured the 25-year-old to Teesside for less than half of the price they are receiving from Everton for their captain, in what would have been an ideal replacement.

Instead, it looks as though Galbraith is edging closer to a move to North Staffordshire, in a deal Stoke will hope is worth it after what will prove to be their most lucrative incoming in nearly a decade.

Middlesbrough may regret missing out on Ethan Galbraith to Stoke City as Kim Hellberg weighs up Hayden Hackney replacements

Action Images

With it looking like Middlesbrough have missed their chance to sign Galbraith this summer, Hellberg must ensure they have not missed a trick with the Northern Irishman by ensuring their Hackney replacement is of similar quality, and ideally, at a better price.

Whilst both Galbraith and Hackney play in midfield, they are not totally similar in their style of play, though a lot of the data could suggest Middlesbrough high possession preference and general dominance throughout games have a decisive impact.

The Northern Irishman is a diminutive, deeper-lying playmaker, excellent in tight spaces, with a superb passing range, reflected in his 122 accurate long balls played across the course of last season, as per FotMob.

Furthermore, Galbraith won possession 33 times in the final third last campaign, a team high in comparison to other midfielders, suggesting his off-the-ball work is excellent too.

Whilst the Swansea star primarily deputised in a deeper midfield role and at right-back, there is every reason to believe he could've adapted his game to play a more advanced position like Hackney, with the 25-year-old not afraid to fire at goal should the opportunity arrive, taking 57 shots across last season, another team high for his position.

Both Middlesbrough and Swansea saw a lot of their build-up play go through their star midfielders, with Hackney taking 3,247 touches of the ball compared to Galbraith's 2,846.

Again, a lot of the data must be taken with a pinch of salt, as Galbraith played in a very different system to Hackney, and did spend a lot of time at right back. However, given his ability both in and out of possession, there is every reason to believe the Northern Irishman could have been an excellent replacement for the Boro captain on Teesside.

Whilst they both excel in slightly different things, they are both among the very best the Championship has to offer, and it could surely be one that Hellberg regrets not pursuing as time passes.

Boro fans will be hoping the bulk of the Hackney money will be reinvested into the playing squad, and ideally, on a solid replacement for him.

Those at the club, fans and staff alike, will be well aware their task of finding a player of Hackney's quality for a reasonable price is next to impossible, but Galbraith could have been an excellent option to fill the void.