The Athletic: England U21 star with ‘huge potential’ is ‘well-liked’ by Man Utd directors

Michael Carrick, Interim Head Coach of Manchester United, arrives at the stadium prior to the Premier League match between Manchester United and Manchester City at Old Trafford on January 17, 2026 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images) Manchester United are reportedly considering a move for Middlesbrough midfielder Hayden Hackney, who is already familiar with Michael Carrick.In his latest column for The Athletic, Man Utd correspondent Laurie Whitwell named 11 midfielders who could be targeted by the club this summer.DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL STRETTY NEWS APP FOR ALL THE LATEST UPDATES & BREAKING NEWS – STRAIGHT TO YOUR PHONE! ON APPLE & GOOGLE PLAYThe list includes well-documented names like Elliot Anderson, Sandro Tonali, Adam Wharton, Carlos Baleba, and Aurelien Tchouameni, in addition to the likes of Ederson and the Bournemouth duo of Alex Scott and Tyler Adams.Nevertheless, Whitwell also covered less renowned profiles, particularly Hackney, who has been mentioned as a potential target for United.Man United could reunite Michael Carrick with Hayden HackneyAs the source explains, Hackney is considered a midfielder with ‘huge potential’, and he’s ‘well-liked’ by Man Utd directors, not to mention Carrick, who has already coached him at Middlesbrough.The England U21 international is a Boro academy product who has been part of the club’s first team since returning from a loan spell at Scunthorpe.While he’s primarily a central midfielder, Whitwell highlights the 23-year-old’s tendency to drift wide, whether to the left or right.Want more Stretty News coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trustTransfermarkt estimates the player value at €28 million, or £24 million. But with only a year left on his contract, Middlesbrough could be willing to sell him on a discount to avoid losing his services for free in 2027.Therefore, win or lose, Saturday’s Championship playoff final against Hull City at Wembley could be Hackney’s final act for his boyhood club.Why Hackney could be the right profile for Man UtdNeedless to say, the Redcar native wouldn’t be Man Utd’s top signing in the middle of the park. However, it should be remembered that the Red Devils might need three new midfielders alongside Kobbie Mainoo, especially if they succeed in offloading Manuel Ugarte.United cannot afford to splash immense transfer fees on three different players in the same department, especially with some of their targets costing £100 million or more. Therefore, Hackney represents a cost-effective solution to shore up the midfield. Hackney’s Career Stats Appearances Goals Assists Middlesbrough 153 16 17 Scunthorpe 31 0 2 The 23-year-old might need some time to adapt to the top flight, but at least he’s familiar with Carrick and Jonathan Woodgate, which should facilitate his transition.