Man Utd handed golden transfer opportunity as star left in tears | Football | Sport

Boro entered the Wembley showpiece as favourites, but a stoppage-time Oli McBurnie goal secured Hull City’s place in the Premier League for next season. Hackney came off the bench for the final 20 minutes, having missed the previous two months with a calf injury, yet he was unable to leave his mark on proceedings.

With Middlesbrough condemned to another season in the Championship, meaning they will miss out on roughly £200million in promotion revenue, the likelihood of Hackney remaining at the Riverside Stadium for the 2026/27 campaign appears remote. Leeds, Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest have also been credited with an interest in the midfielder.

Ties to Old Trafford have grown stronger in recent months, with The Athletic reporting that he is held in high regard by both United and Carrick. He has equally long been regarded as a player of considerable potential.

Carrick will probably be the figure spearheading any pursuit for Hackney, having spent nearly three years alongside him at Middlesbrough. The 44-year-old was dismissed from that position last June and began his temporary role with United six months later.

A remarkably successful interim period has seen the club appoint him as permanent head coach and he is now entering his first full transfer window at the helm.

Hackney is amongst numerous midfielders who could arrive, though Boro boss Kim Hellberg acknowledged earlier this year he remains hopeful the club’s captain will remain.

He told BBC Radio Tees in January: “He’s very important, of course. He’s a top player and person. In every aspect of the game he’s s good, defensively and offensively.

“I like him very much and if I had to decide I would say he’s not for sale, but it will not come down to me. I think he wants to stay here. You can see him being very happy with how it works, so hopefully he’s with us this year and further on.”

Brazilian Ederson represents another central midfield possibility, with links to the Atalanta star intensifying after he was absent from their Serie A final day fixture against Fiorentina owing to being in advanced discussions to join a top European club, as confirmed by the club’s head coach, Raffaele Palladino.

Elliot Anderson, Adam Wharton, Carlos Baleba and Sandro Tonali are just a few others linked with United.