Middlesbrough told they have signed another Hayden Hackney in ‘massive baller’

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A Middlesbrough side with just one Hayden Hackney running the show is already proving to be quite the fearsome prospect for rival Championship sides.

Add another Hackney-esque midfielder of pristine, playmaking quality, however, and who is to say Rob Edwards’ flying start to Riverside life cannot continue over the coming months?

Edwards has spoken glowingly about Hackney in his first few weeks in the Middlesbrough dugout. To quote the manager himself, the England Under-21 international possesses ‘energy, loads of quality, desire [and] passion’.

Add in his underrated off-the-ball output, and Hayden Hackney is threatening to become the most complete midfielder in the Championship.

If he isn’t already, of course.

While EFL Analysis can confirm that Fulham and West Ham scouted Hackney as Middlesbrough maintained their 100 per cent league start away at Norwich City on Saturday, the second-tier pacesetters reportedly have no plans to cash in at such a late stage of the summer.

And Football League expert Ali Maxwell cannot help but get carried away about the idea of Manchester City loanee Sverre Nypan joining Hackney at the heart of a midfield which may give a few top-flight sides the runaround.

Ali Maxwell excited by a Hayden Hackney – Sverre Nypan Middlesbrough midfield

While Hackney assisted Finn Azaz’s opener in that 2-1 win at Carrow Road, Man City’s £12.5 million starlet stepped off the bench in the second half to make his Boro bow.

Upon his unveiling as a Middlesbrough player, Sverre Nypan described himself as ‘mostly technical’, as far as midfield profiles go. But one also blessed with the physicality, the running power, and the battling qualities to last the pace in this most unforgiving of leagues.

Maxwell, then, feels that even more exciting times may lie just around the corner in the North East as Nypan builds up his fitness and prepares for a full debut.

“What a start to the season for Boro, and another fantastic away win [at Norwich],” Maxwell begins. “Hayden Hackney just gets better and he’s coming from a very good base already! He looks lean but strong, quicker, [having made] improvements on areas of the game in which he needed to improve on.

“But as a ball-player, as a ball-progresser, still phenomenal. And I think he has actually got better in the final third over the last two seasons as well. It’s just so fun watching a player develop like this.

“I am [also] really looking forward to watching Sverre Nypan, their new Norwegian wonderkid.”

Manchester City loanee could give Rob Edwards another Hackney-esque talent

Capped five times by Norway’s Under-21 side at the age of just 18, Sverre Nypan is not a new name on Maxwell’s radar.

“When he was 16, there was a piece of work we were doing which involved me watching some Sverre Nypan and taking some notes on him. And I absolutely loved him,” Maxwell recalls.

“He has the air of someone seeing the game unfold one step ahead of the others, firing off first-time passes into attacking players or other midfielders because he already has the whole picture before receiving the ball.

“I mean, it sounds quite Hayden Hackney that. So young Sverre, just basically a massive ‘baller’ and I cannot wait to see him playing.”

Interestingly, while comparisons have often been made with compatriot Martin Odegaard, Nypan likened himself to Manchester United cult hero Ander Herrera during a conversation with the Norwegian branch of the Red Devils supporters’ club.

Herrera was not quite a destroyer and not quite a dictator, but a mix of both. A la Nypan. And Hackney too, come to think of it.

Matt Targett joined Nypan and co at the Riverside on Wednesday, with further business still to be done. The left-back arrives on loan from local rivals Newcastle United.

Reinforcements are also being sought between the sticks and up top. David Strelec’s father confirmed Middlesbrough’s interest in the prolific Slovan Bratislava striker a fortnight ago, though Senegal striker Cheikh Sabaly appears unlikely to sign now after ending his self-imposed strike at FC Metz.

Per Alan Nixon, Middlesbrough hope to sign Hull goalkeeper Ivor Pandur for a fee in the region of £5 million before the transfer deadline.