Ipswich Town, backed to seal ‘quality’ £25m Middlesbrough ace | OneFootball

FLW’s Ipswich Town fan pundit has commented on Boro’s £25m demand for midfielder Hayden Hackney.

Ipswich Town can look forward to Premier League football next season after securing an immediate promotion back to the big time.

Despite the nerves and anxiety surrounding the final day, the Tractor Boys put that to one side and swept away Queens Park Rangers at Portman Road, with strikes from George Hirst, Jaden Philogene and Kasey McAteer securing a comfortable 3-0 victory.

Jubilant scenes rang out at Portman Road following the full-time whistle, with the Suffolk-based outfit hopeful that they can establish themselves as top-flight regulars after their instant relegation from the Premier League once making it back there in 2025.

Of course, Ipswich will be aware how critical their recruitment is this summer to help them achieve their aim of remaining in the top-flight next season, with the addition of players who can make the step-up in class crucial to being competitive and getting towards the upper ends of the table.

One player who is expected to remain on their shortlist heading into the 2026-27 campaign is Middlesbrough midfielder Hayden Hackney, who may well end up departing the Riverside Stadium now Boro’s play-off hopes are likely to be over.

However, it isn’t 100% certain given the EFL’s ongoing investigation into Southampton’s spygate saga against Boro, with the Saints at risk of being thrown out of the play-offs entirely, which would end up putting Kim Hellberg's men through to the final.

But if Southampton are allowed to go ahead into their Wembley showdown against Hull City, then Ipswich will think they have an outstanding chance to land Hackney and give him his first taste of Premier League football.

However, any deal will not be cheap, with Middlesbrough believed to be demanding £25m for the 23-year-old to link up at Portman Road.

With this in mind, FLW’s Ipswich Town fan pundit has commented on whether the Tractor Boys should be in the running after Boro’s latest price tag.

Ipswich Town backed to seal Hayden Hackney transfer but face Premier League competition concern

Speaking to Football League World, Ipswich Town fan pundit Adam Wilkin has backed the Tractor Boys to be in the running to sign Middlesbrough midfielder Hayden Hackney, believing the 23-year-old could be a difference maker in their quest for survival next season.

But, he has outlined his concern that some more established top-flight clubs could turn Hackney’s head this summer, with the likes of Crystal Palace able to offer him the route of top-flight football for years to come.

Adam told FLW: “After the summer saga with Hackney, I’d be wary about any links with him, but I do think he would be a quality signing and could be a player that makes the difference between going back down and staying up. That’s how good he is and how much of an all-round midfielder he is.

“I think we’ll definitely be looking at him. We’ve got a history of pursuing people over multiple transfer windows, some of which have come off. George Hirst was pursued for a bit and there are a couple of other ones too, so I’m sure we’ll be back in for him.

“There’s rumours that Palace may be interested if Adam Wharton goes and other Premier League competition may prove to be more appetising for him to become an established Premier League player.

“Therefore, I’m not overly hopeful about it, but he’s definitely one we’ll look at.”

Ipswich Town have to get themselves at the front of the Hayden Hackney queue

Providing a tremendous level of consistency this season, there’s no doubt Hayden Hackney can bridge the gap between the Championship and Premier League.

The all-action midfielder has been one of the standout players in the second tier this term, so there’s no surprise to see so many Premier League clubs interested in securing his services.

Along with Ipswich, the likes of Brighton and Nottingham Forest have most recently registered an interest, according to Football Insider, making it tougher for the Tractor Boys to land the midfielder.

A move to a more established Premier League outfit will be appealing for the midfielder to play top-flight football season-upon-season, as a move to Ipswich brings the threat of an instant return to the Championship, given the struggles they faced in their previous top-flight term.

Someone like Hackney could prove to be the difference in getting over the line for survival though, so Ipswich have to go all out to convince the midfielder that his long-term future is at Portman Road.

While it will be a tricky task, it could well be worth it come the end of the 2026-27 campaign, with this enthralling saga set to linger on deep into the summer transfer window.