Middlesbrough backed to sign 'top player' from Everton - but not as Hayden Hackney 2.0 | OneFootball

FLW's Middlesbrough fan pundit has commented on the latest updates surrounding their interest in Harrison Armstrong

The Hayden Hackney transfer saga is setting up to be one of the biggest EFL stories this summer, and for good reason, too.

The 23-year-old won the Championship's Player of the Year award last season, as he was the main driving force behind a Middlesbrough side who, under Kim Hellberg, wowed fans with an intense, attack-focused playstyle.

Hackney had a career year in terms of goal contributions, netting five times and assisting seven in the second tier, and his influence on the side was seen when Boro fell away from the top two during the final eight games of the campaign while he was sidelined with a groin injury.

Any Player of the Year will be subject to interest, but with just one year remaining on his deal, it seems inevitable that the Middlesbrough academy graduate will be playing Premier League football next season.

Boro are standing firm in their valuation, though. Everton are the current frontrunners, but according to TEAMtalk, the Championship outfit are holding out for a package that would reach at least £25 million and are under no pressure to accept a cut-price offer.

The presence of 19-year-old Harrison Armstrong in David Moyes' squad, though, could prove to be a factor in a deal being done between the two sides for Hackney.

Middlesbrough fan pundit doesn't think that loaning Harrison Armstrong would be a good replacement for Hayden Hackney

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Indeed, TEAMtalk goes on to state that Middlesbrough are admirers of young midfielder Armstrong, who shone on loan in the Championship at Preston North End during the first half of last season before being recalled to play 13 times in the Premier League.

The 19-year-old could act as a sweetener for a Hackney switch to the Hill Dickinson Stadium, but Everton are very reluctant to allow him to leave permanently, given the potential he's shown so early in his career.

A loan move could help Middlesbrough maintain their promotion credentials without Hackney, but Boro fan pundit, Liam Day, would rather a permanent replacement immediately.

"I think Harrison Armstrong is a top, top player, but when you're replacing someone like Hackney, you need to bring in a permanent signing and one that you can trust long-term, instead of a short-term fix," he said.

"It may allow us to prepare for a situation where we can get a better replacement in the Premier League. Maybe, I don't know, but we need sellable assets at the club.

"That's not to say that we won't still have sellable assets if we sell Hackney, don't get me wrong. But I feel that a loan replacement would be somewhat underwhelming with the kind of money we'd be getting in and the kind of player we will be replacing."

If Middlesbrough can receive upwards of £20 million for their star midfielder, there'll be a good chunk available to reinvest into numerous positions in the squad to better prepare the team for a full season of 'Hell-ball.'

But, given how important Hackney was to that system during Kim Hellberg's first six months in charge at the Riverside, Boro fans would be hoping for a top long-term replacement who could replicate close to the impact the 23-year-old had, while also providing grounds to make a profit on in the future.

"Whilst I do think Armstrong is a very, very good player, and he'd be a good signing, I'm not sure that getting him on loan would be the best way to replace Hackney."

Middlesbrough need someone who can make an immediate impact and remain at the club for years to come

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It's arguable that, while Armstrong is still incredibly young and could be moulded into a midfielder who plays further forward and creates chances, like Hackney was last season, right now, the 19-year-old wouldn't be a like-for-like switch for the 23-year-old.

Using their midfield prospect could be a good way for Everton to lower the eventual price for the reigning Championship Player of the Season, but a loan wouldn't make much sense for Boro.

If Middlesbrough are in a position where they have to replace their academy graduate, they'd need to be looking at someone of a similar age who can create the chances that the 23-year-old did this past season, which Armstrong, ultimately, isn't, despite his clear upside and potential.

So, if only a loan deal was struck to sweeten the deal going the other way, Kim Hellberg's side would still have to replace Hackney with less money to play with, and they couldn't count on Armstrong sticking around for longer than a year, too.

As Day said, it would be slightly underwhelming if this proved true, but with how stern Boro are being when it comes to their asking price for the 23-year-old, there'll be little worry that Steve Gibson won't get the best deal possible for their most saleable asset.