Aston Villa named alongside Man Utd & Spurs as Middlesbrough transfer chase looms | OneFootball

Hayden Hackney could be set to shine in the Premier League next season regardless of the outcome of Middlesbrough's promotion push.

Aston Villa have been named as a new potential suitor for Middlesbrough star Hayden Hackney alongside Premier League giants Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.

That's according to a report from the Mail Online on Thursday, in what is the latest twist in the well-documented top flight interest in Boro's talented young midfielder.

The 22-year-old England youth international has been turning heads at top clubs ever since his Middlesbrough first-team breakthrough in the 2022/23 season, and the Teessiders look to be in for another summer of significant transfer interest in their star central midfielder.

Aston Villa emerge as latest potential landing spot for Middlesbrough star Hayden Hackney

As revealed by the Mail Online, Middlesbrough's shining young number seven is attracting major Premier League interest, with Aston Villa named as a potential landing spot for the Redcar-born midfield maestro.

The report states that several Premier League scouts from clubs such as Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham and Liverpool have all watched him in action this season.

Alongside that glittering quartet of top flight giants, Aston Villa and Bournemouth have also been detailed as being possible options should Hackney be on the move in the summer.

Sky Sports reported that in the final days of the January transfer window, Boro rejected a £10m approach from Portuguese side Porto for the midfielder, who has been entrusted to wear the captain's armband in recent weeks by Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick.

The Mail Online's report also states that Hackney is widely recognised as one of the best midfielders in the Championship, and that could cause a problem for the Teessiders if they fail to secure promotion this season.

Middlesbrough seemingly set their asking price for Hayden Hackney in January

As previously mentioned, Premier League interest in Hackney is nothing new for Middlesbrough.

Tottenham, Man United and Liverpool were all reportedly ready to engage in a bidding war for the Boro star back in January 2024.

Even local rivals Newcastle United have been credited as holding a significant interest in him as recently as the previous winter transfer window, with GIVEMESPORT reporting that Middlesbrough had slapped a £25m asking price on Hackney in an attempt to fend off the possibility of losing their starman mid-season.

The box-to-box midfielder has continued to bank some highly impressive performances since the January window closed, and looks set to play a key role in Boro's play-off push in the final weeks of the campaign.

These continually strong displays coupled with the fact that he's under contract at the Riverside until the summer of 2027, means the Teessiders should be in a good position to potentially demand even more than that come the summer.

Boro fans will be alarmed by news of potential Aston Villa interest perhaps more than any other club, however, given the fact the Villans poached Morgan Rogers from Middlesbrough in the 2024 winter window.