Carrick trying desperately to change INEOS’ stance on signing elite ball-carrier, he would transform United – report

Manchester United are not done with their midfield acquisition just yet. The Red Devils have reportedly agreed a deal for Atalanta’s Ederson, and the next target seems to be Mateus Fernandes of West Ham. The Hammers’ asking price and Real Madrid’s entry into the race have complicated matters, forcing the 20-time English league champions to keep an eye on alternatives. Despite Manchester City failing with their opening bid, Elliot Anderson seems on his way to the Etihad instead of Old Trafford despite INEOS’ best attempts. Hayden Hackney back on the radar Sandro Tonali’s price and wage demands are proving to major obstacles while Real Madrid are not keen to part ways with Aurelian Tchouameni. With the club running out of options, Michael Carrick has urged INEOS to re-visit their interest in a player admired by the head coach. Hayden Hackney, who worked under Carrick at Middlesbrough, is all set to leave this summer with multiple Premier League clubs interested his signature. There were reports that United had moved on, with Everton in pole position to sign the 23-year-old. Carrick pushing hard to reunite with Hayden Hackney However, The Northern Echo have revealed that Carrick is desperately trying to change INEOS’ mind while Boro have revealed that they are yet to receive any offers, which means the race remains open. “MIDDLESBROUGH have not received a single formal offer for Hayden Hackney despite the mounting speculation over his future – and are prepared to hold on to their star midfielder for the final year of his contract if their conditions are not met this summer. “Hackney is due to enter the final 12 months of his current deal later this month, and while the 23-year-old turned down a proposed move to Ipswich Town last summer, the expectation has always been that he would leave Teesside this summer if Boro failed to win promotion. “There is certainly plenty of interest in his services, with Everton and Crystal Palace known to be two of the clubs particularly keen to sign him when the transfer window officially reopens later this month. Why Carrick is desperate to sign Hayden Hackney “Fulham and Tottenham have also been heavily linked with Hackney, while Michael Carrick is a long-standing admirer of the midfielder, having worked with him during his time as Boro boss, and is understood to be encouraging his bosses to make a move of their own once a couple of other summer priorities have been resolved.” Hayden Hackney can play all across midfield and was named Championship Player of the Year as he scored six times and registered eight assists. His ability to carry the ball out of danger and his technical prowess under pressure would be transformative given what fans saw from his predecessors in that position. With one year left in his current contract, Boro are open to offers in the range of £20 million, a relatively modest price for a player of his calibre. It will be interesting to see if INEOS ultimately change their stance following Carrick‘s advice. The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Ayantan Chowdhury After failing to become a professional footballer, Ayantan switched to the next best thing: writing about the greatest football club in the world. He has extensive sports journalism experience, having worked for over 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites. Currently an editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25