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Having ended the Premier League campaign way above the relegation zone, Nottingham Forest are already planning on strengthening their squad. One player believed to be on the Tricky Trees’ shopping list is Middlesbrough midfielder Hayden Hackney, who has just 12 months left on his contract with the north east club.
The former England under-21 midfielder could be set to leave the north east club this summer after Boro missed out on a return to the Premier League via the Championship play-offs.
Hackney has been impressive for Boro in recent seasons
The 23-year-old has been impressive in the centre of the park for Boro in recent seasons. Despite enduring a frustrating end to the campaign that saw him miss a number of games, Hackney still scored five goals and produced eight assists in England’s second tier in season 2025/2026.
His contribution to Middlesbrough’s season earned him the Championship Player of the Year award.
Hayden Hackney has been named Sky Bet Championship Player of the Season 🥇
Huge congrats to one of our own. Well deserved, Hayden 👏 pic.twitter.com/OBzlLcB4uy
— Middlesbrough FC (@Boro) April 19, 2026
This season has seen the Redcar-born star improve his assist output, with five more assists than last season. Although that’s not considered his main quality for a player whose considered a defensive player, it’s a useful tool in his footballing armoury.
Looking for a potential replacement for Anderson
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Nottingham Forest’s England midfield star Elliot Anderson has been heavily linked with a move away from the Midlands club. Both Manchester giants, Manchester City and Manchester United, have been linked to big-money moves for Anderson, with the former now favourites to sign the midfield star.
Anderson has been selected in Thomas Tuchel’s England World Cup squad. An impressive tournament in the USA, Canada and Mexico would only increase interest in the former Newcastle star.
Hackney would be considered an ideal replacement for Anderson, and he could well be brought in for a cut-price fee because of his contract situation with Boro.
The midfielder has previously attracted interest from other Premier League clubs, including Everton, so Forest may need to move fast to secure the signature of a player they attempted to sign in the January transfer window.