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Tottenham lining up a summer move for £20m Middlesbrough midfielder

Originally posted on To The Lane And Back
By Rohan Sengupta | Last updated Jun 10, 2025 10:38 AM ET

Tottenham are set to scout Middlesbrough star Hayden Hackney during England’s Euro Under-21 campaign this month

Tottenham appear to be on the verge of appointing Thomas Frank as their new boss. His expected arrival at White Hart Lane will see the club embark on a new era, and the Danish tactician is certain to have a say on the transfer dealings of the summer transfer window.

The 51-year-old replacing Ange Postecoglou at the helm could see the Lilywhites accelerate their transfer plans in what is shaping up to be a crucial summer. Simultaneously, the Hotspur Way chiefs are constantly working behind the scenes to bolster the squad that was ravaged by injury problems this past season.

Thomas Frank’s first move could be to sign one of the Championship’s hottest midfield prospects as the North London club look set to ramp up their interest.

According to an exclusive report from The Sun, Tottenham are lining up a swoop for Middlesbrough midfielder Hayden Hackney. Spurs scouts have been running the rule over the English talent, who looks set to leave Middlesbrough this summer after their failure to achieve promotion.

Hayden Hackney is set to feature for England in the Under-21 European Championship in Slovakia starting from Thursday. After impressing for Middlesbrough, where he netted five goals and supplied three assists in 43 Championship appearances this past season, the central midfielder is expected to play a starring role for England U21’s in the upcoming European tournament.

The aforementioned report adds that Tottenham will have scouts in Slovakia for the U21 Euros to scout Hayden, who is also on the radar of Crystal Palace and VfB Stuttgart. Boro are in no rush to sell their homegrown player but could be open to offers for him at around £20m, having rejected a £9m bid from FC Porto in January.

Spurs struggled to control games from the middle of the park last season. A quality midfielder is among the top requirements heading into the new campaign, especially with Yves Bissouma facing an uncertain future at N17 and James Maddison suffering a serious knee injury in May.

Hackney, in that regard, would be a good fit in Frank’s 4-3-3 system. He can operate as a holding midfielder, controlling the tempo of play and breaking up opposition’s ventures into the final third. The Englishman would be smart option to compete with the likes of Rodrigo Bentancur, Lucas Bergvall and Pape Matar Sarr for a spot in the starting XI, whilst adding valuable depth to the squad.

If Hackney impresses in the U21 Euros, Spurs must not think twice in sending a formal bid to Boro for his signature.

This article first appeared on To The Lane And Back and was syndicated with permission.

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