Hayden Hackney has become the most watched midfielder in the Championship this season according to TBR Football.
The 23-year-old Middlesbrough star reportedly rejected a summer move to Ipswich Town and that decision has now started to look brilliant with four Premier League clubs tracking him closely.
Newcastle United have been monitoring him in recent weeks alongside Brighton, Fulham and Brentford who have all joined the race for his signature.
The Premier League interest is not new as Tottenham, Manchester United and Crystal Palace watched Hackney throughout last season.
There is European interest as well with Porto even making formal offers for the star 12 months ago and remain interested while European heavyweights Atalanta, Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen are also have interest in Riverside Stadium star.
The numbers explain why scouts keep returning to the Riverside Stadium week after week.
According to Fbref, Hackney ranks in the 97th percentile among Championship midfielders for progressive passes with 8.98 per 90 minutes and matches that elite standing for progressive carries at 2.82 per game.
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His 3.85 shot-creating actions per 90 places him in the 92nd percentile.
Boro currently sit above Ipswich in the Championship table vindicating Hackney’s choice to stay put last summer.
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Reportedly, it is unlikely Middlesbrough will sell Hayden Hackney in January as manager Michael Carrick believes losing Emmanuel Latte-Lath last season hurt their promotion hopes and the club are determined not to repeat that mistake during this campaign.
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