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FLW's Ipswich fan pundit has given his verdict on the club's £20m pursuit of Hayden Hackney

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Ipswich Town have had a £20 million offer to sign Hayden Hackney rejected by Middlesbrough.

According to Teesside Live, the figure falls below their asking price for the midfielder, as Kieran McKenna looks to bolster his options.

The Tractor Boys are targeting improvements that will help the club seal promotion back to the Premier League at the first attempt this season.

Hackney has come through the ranks of the Middlesbrough academy system, and he featured 43 times in the Championship in the previous campaign.

Hayden Hackney to Ipswich claim

When asked about the £20 million offer for Hackney, FLW’s Ipswich fan pundit Adam Wilkin claimed that it’s a deal that would fit the club’s model.

He’s highlighted the prominence of young, exciting, English talent in the Suffolk outfit’s recruitment process, praising Hackney’s performances at this summer’s U21 European Championship.

“I think if we were to sign Hackney, it fits the model of the sort of players that we’ve been looking to sign,” Wilkin told Football League World.

“It would mean that we would have had three, four of the England U21s, with Delap, Hutchinson, Philogene and Hackney all in there.

“If we went for Tyler Morton as well, you could have five there, but the structure seems to very much be buy young English talent and hope they improve.

“I think in terms of potential, Hackney fits into that.

“He had a very, very good season last season, and I think he’s one of those that’s similar to Adam Wharton, who was very good at Blackburn and got the move to Crystal Palace, that could make that step up to the Premier League at some point — and I mean, Adam Wharton is pushing on the England team.

“I think Hackney looked very good in the U21 Euros.”

Ipswich urged to spend on Hackney

The final figure in a deal for Hackney could become a Championship transfer record, and Wilkin believes the move could make financial sense, all things considered.

“£20 million in terms of transfer fee would be a Championship record, but I think given our ambitions in the Premier League, given the money we have and given we don’t really need to overhaul the squad, or strengthen in too many other places, I think financially it feels doable,” he continued.

“Because it would be an investment in the future and it almost is one of those that if we had been promoted this season and were going into a Premier League season, it’s the sort of signing that I’d be expect us to be making there.

“I am surprised that Hackney hasn’t got other Premier League interest so far, but it seems that we’re the only team that have a bid on the table for a long time.

“And we represent a step up from Middlesbrough, just given where the clubs have been recently.

“So, I think it would be a very clever signing, and much like the relegation clauses from last year, it wouldn’t surprise me if his agent or him would negotiate for a non-promotion clause, or a release clause of that effect that might allow him to move on if we didn’t get promoted.

“Cause he clearly has a bright potential and a future in the Premier League.”

Ipswich begin their Championship campaign on 8 August with a trip to face Birmingham City.

Hackney is ready for Premier League football

Getting a deal done for Hackney without any Premier League competition could prove a real coup for Ipswich.

The midfielder has had fitness issues during his time with Boro, but he has ultimately performed quite well, and he put in 3,792 minutes last year to show his injury concerns may be a thing of the past.

He was a standout performer in the Championship, and has rightly earned comparisons to Wharton, who made the jump up the pyramid quite impressively.

It remains to be seen what the final figure in a deal could become, but it is a deal that Ipswich could do very well to complete this summer.