Hayden Hackney wins battle of the Middlesbrough boys as England triumph in U21s Euros

Add as preferred source on Google

Middlesbrough fans will have been watching the Under-21s Euros very closely, especially the game between England and the Netherlands on Wednesday evening.

Of all the EFL players in the U21 European Championship, Hayden Hackney is certainly one of the more interesting, given speculation around his future.

Middlesbrough’s star man has been catching the eye with his performances at club level for some time now. But, he’s now doing it on the biggest stage with his country.

But, loyalties were divided for Boro fans this week as Hackney came up against his club teammate, Rav van den Berg.

• READ MORE: Birmingham City fans will love how the media reacted to transfer target James Beadle England U21 showing

England defeat Netherlands U21s as Hayden Hackney shines

The two Championship stars went head-to-head as England took on the Netherlands in the semi-final, but it was the Three Lions who came out on top in a 2-1 win.

While a brace from Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott will capture the headlines, including a fantastic solo goal to win the game, Hackney did his reputation a world of good with an assist to set up that decisive strike.

Hackney entered the fray on the 84-minute mark, and made an instant impact with his assist just a minute later.

The midfielder registered eight touches in his 12-minute cameo, with a 100% pass success rate, and two of those being key passes (as per SofaScore).

Admittedly, Rav van den Berg didn’t do too badly, but will be disappointed to be on the losing side and exiting the tournament.

The defender played the full 90 for the Netherlands, registering three clearances, one blocked shot, and an 83% duel success rate.

• READ MORE: Lee Carsley says ‘explosive’ Jay Stansfield is crucial for England U21s, Birmingham City experience is key

England U21 success could pave the way for Hayden Hackney move

While Boro fans will be hoping to sign some players this summer, all the transfer news out of Middlesbrough right now is on potential exits.

Hackney is expected to leave for around £20m, with a number of Premier League clubs keen on the midfielder. Indeed, Boro were half hoping he performed well for England, to help start a bidding war for their academy product.

Meanwhile, van den Berg could be off to Brentford this summer. The centre-half could reunite with his brother there, but there is also interest in the Bundesliga.