Football League World

Leyton Orient are set to complete a deal to bring Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Josh Keeley to the club on loan.

That’s according to football.london correspondent Alasdair Gold, who claims the Republic of Ireland under-21 international will be making the move to Brisbane Road before tonight’s transfer deadline, after signing a new deal with the Premier League club.

The 21-year-old is yet to play for the Spurs first-team, but has featured regularly for the club’s development squad in Premier League 2, as well as featuring for Barnet in the National League last season.

Richie Wellens has made the move for another goalkeeper to add to his ranks with the O’s, after some questionable performances from Middlesbrough loanee Zach Hemming.

Richie Wellens moves to address Leyton Orient goalkeeping issues

Much was expected of Hemming when he made the move from The Riverside earlier in the summer, but the early signs have been far from promising from the 24-year-old.

A howler on the opening day of the season against Bolton Wanderers handed the visitors all three points to start the campaign, with a number of shaky performances to follow.

The shot-stopper was also at fault for Birmingham City’s opener in the Blues' 2-1 victory over Orient last weekend, with a ball played out from the back being intercepted, before Keshi Anderson found the back of the net.

Wellens was left fuming post-match, with the former Doncaster Rovers boss not holding back in his analysis of his goalkeeper’s performance.

He said: “There is no hiding from it, our goalkeeper [Zach Hemming] has cost us points. We could easily be sitting here with six or seven points, so he needs to look at himself in the mirror and get better but I thought our response was fantastic.

"I thought we were the better team. They have quality, obviously, but for me, we were far better and the second goal was a bit of a killer for us.

"But we should have got something out of the game. I’m disappointed but proud at the same time. You only have to look at what they have and what we’ve got. We need more from our subs. I’ve been disappointed with them so far."

Josh Keeley can provide competition for Leyton Orient number one spot

While Orient already have Hemming, Sam Howes and Noah Phillips as options between the sticks, the decision has reportedly been made to add Keeley as another option for the season ahead.

The competition for the role of number one looks set to hot up over the next few weeks, with Hemming likely to face stiff competition from the Tottenham Hotspur man.

Having joined Barnet in the most-recent January transfer window, the 21-year-old kept three clean sheets in 18 appearances for the Bees, as they lost out in the National League playoffs.

With two further clean sheets for Spurs’ development side this season, the goalkeeper could be a handy pickup for the O’s to strengthen an area of the pitch which has been troublesome so far this season.

Blackburn Rovers and Swansea City are two of the clubs interested in a loan move for Tottenham attacking midfielder Alfie Devine after his proposed move to Birmingham City fell through earlier today.

Alasdair Gold reported via X that both Blackburn and Swansea will face competition from Parma, as well as sides in Germany and from others across the continent to seal a deal for the 20-year-old, with Spurs set to loan him out.

It looked as if Devine was set for a move to League One with Birmingham City, but it was reported by Football Insider earlier today that his proposed move to St Andrew's had fallen through, and that Saudi Premier League team Al-Ettifaq, who are managed by Steven Gerrard, were keen on a potential swoop.

Transfer interest in Alfie Devine

It was reported by Alasdair Gold that Spurs originally planned to keep Devine at the club, but that changed this month and that has led to plenty of loan interest in the youngster.

With the 20-year-old's deal to join Birmingham City collapsing, it's reported that other clubs have been alerted to his availability, and Championship duo Blackburn and Swansea are interested in a deadline day swoop.

Devine had two loan spells last season, starting the season on loan in League One with Port Vale, before joining Plymouth in the Championship, where he helped keep the Pilgrims in the Championship with his two assists in 15 appearances.

The youngster is highly-rated at Spurs, as seen by Ange Postecoglou planning to keep him at the club initially, and he'll really be looking to kick on this season after getting his first taste of Championship football last season.

However, with reported interest from Italy, Germany and across Europe, it means that Blackburn and Swansea face a battle to sign him, and it's set to be a tense end to the transfer window thanks to the number of clubs interested.

Alfie Devine would be a great addition for either Blackburn or Swansea

Swansea have made no secret about their desire to sign an attacking midfielder, and they have been linked with a move for Brentford's Myles-Peart Harris, but Devine could well be an upgrade on him thanks to his Championship experience.

Meanwhile, John Eustace is set for a busy end to the transfer window and is looking to bolster his squad with a number of exciting young options being lined up according to recent reports, including a move for Fulham's Martial Godo.

It remains to be seen whether Spurs would prefer to keep Devine in the English pyramid or whether they'd want him to experience football abroad, but they certainly aren't short of options, and it's set to be a busy end to the transfer window for the 20-year-old.

Birmingham City’s proposed move for Tottenham Hotspur youngster Alfie Devine has fallen through.

According to Football Insider, talks between the two clubs have ended after they were unable to strike an agreement.

The Blues were looking to sign the midfielder on loan for the rest of the campaign as they set their sights on promotion back to the Championship.

Devine spent the second half of last season on loan with Plymouth Argyle in the second division, contributing two assists from 15 appearances in the league (all stats from Fbref).

It remains to be seen whether Birmingham will turn their attention to other midfield targets, or if this will end their pursuit of improving this area of Chris Davies’ side.

Alfie Devine transfer latest

Birmingham had been in talks to sign Devine from Spurs, but the two clubs have been unable to come to terms on an agreement.

The 20-year-old has yet to feature for Ange Postecoglou’s side this season, failing to even make the matchday squad in either of their two opening league games.

The youngster has struggled for competitive minutes with the Premier League side, making two competitive appearances for the club so far, leading to speculation over a potential loan exit.

It is understood that talks breaking down between Birmingham and Spurs has put other clubs on alert, meaning he could yet still make a move away from the London club before tonight’s 11pm deadline.

It is set to be a busy end to the market for the Blues, with John Percy reporting that a bid of around £9 to 10 million has been submitted for Fulham’s Jay Stansfield.

The League One side have already added a great number of signings this summer following their relegation from the Championship.

A total of 15 additions have been made to Davies’ side, with more potentially to come before 11pm this evening.

Devine deal could be impacted by Stansfield pursuit

Birmingham coming in with such a huge offer for Stansfield shows where their priorities lie this deadline day.

Devine performed well in League One last season while on loan with Port Vale, but he has yet to really impress at a consistent level.

It’s clear that he has a lot of talent, and Davies should know him well enough from his time working at Spurs, but this isn’t a huge blow to their promotion chances.

Given how close it is to the deadline, it’s no surprise that Birmingham have moved on to other targets if they can’t find an agreement with Tottenham.

Burnley have reportedly offered midfielder and club captain Josh Brownhill to Premier League clubs in the dying embered of the transfer window, in what continues to be somewhat of a potential Turf Moor exodus.

You wouldn't call Burnley's transfer window dull by any stretch, and GIVEMESPORT have claimed that another departure could be leaving the Lancashire outfit, with the Clarets hierarchy reportedly offering Brownhill out for a price-tag of £5 million.

Brownhill has been integral to Burnley since he arrived from Bristol City for a fee of £9 million in the January 2020 transfer window.

The midfielder has already started his return to the Championship in style with impressive performances and two goals to his name after three games, but the latest update on his future suggests that Burnley could be looking to sell him, continuing the Clarets' trend this summer of letting first-team players depart.

Tottenham Hotspur, Everton and Fulham are said to have been offered the chance to land Brownhill's services, and it remains to be seen if he departs or stays beyond Friday's 11pm deadline.

Josh Brownhill offered to Fulham, Tottenham and Everton amid Trabzonspor bid

It's a departure that certainly won't go down too well with the Burnley faithful, but Brownhill may favour a return to the Premier League following his performances in a disappointing season for the Clarets last time out.

The on-going trend continues for Burnley, as Brownhill's exit could see an extraordinary 13th first-team departure this window.

The Clarets have already rejected a £3.4 million bid for the midfielder, from Turkish outfit Trabzonspor a few days ago, who had a four-year deal on the table for the 28-year-old with increased terms.

After taking on the club captaincy last season, Parker sees Brownhill as a key part of his challenge to get the Clarets back into the top flight, after handing the midfielder captaincy once more this season.

Speaking to the Burnley Express, Parker said: "It was a decision where I probably see Josh and his stature within the squad. Also, a bit of fluidity in terms of where it was last year as well.

"There are probably many captains in this team, or certainly the team that started on Monday night, but it was obviously Josh who got that."

Brownhill had also previously been excited about Parker's ambitions at Turf Moor, praising his tactical style.

In another article from the Burnley Express, Brownhill said: "We’ve seen [his impact] early on. “We’ve obviously worked really hard in pre-season, we’ve learned a lot from him already.

"As I say, there are different tactics and against Luton it was a different setup. But I think from game to game it will be different and that’s what he’s really good at."

Potential Josh Brownhill exit would hit Burnley and Scott Parker hard

Now into his sixth season, Brownhill has performed consistently over the years, and his potential exit would be major to Parker's men.

Although Burnley have improved their squad various signings despite all the sales that have happened, the exit of Brownhill would be difficult to take at this stage of the window, and chairman Alan Pace will have a lot of work to do to find the right replacement.

With the deadline nearing its end, it's a massive risk from the Clarets to even consider the departure of such a fan favourite, who is reliable especially at Championship level.

However, with less than a year left on his contract, the hierarchy at Burnley may see it as time for them to cash in and could benefit Brownhill in the long run due to his own ambitions.

Whatever happens, it's set to be a cagey last few days of the window at Turf Moor.

Manor Solomon of Tottenham Hotspur is a reported target for Leeds United as they try to replace Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter, but contrasting reports have emerged regarding the current likelihood of the transfer.

The departure of the aforementioned Leeds attacking pairing may have netted the club close to £65 million, but it also left them with plenty to do to find their replacements before the transfer window closes on Friday.

Leeds are looking to the Premier League for their next potential move, with the The Yorkshire Evening Post first revealing that Leeds have identified Solomon as a player that the Whites are said to be considering at this point in the window.

The Israeli international suffered with a meniscus issue for much of last term, restricting him to only six appearances in all competitions for Spurs.

With that, it's no surprise that he could leave Ange Postecoglou's team in the coming days in search of regular first-team football to get back up to speed.

Leeds United facing reported issues in pursuit of Tottenham winger Manor Solomon

Journalist Shay Lugassi is now reporting that the move for Solomon to move to Leeds may be in doubt.

He states that Solomon has completed the required medical tests, but there are quite significant financial differences between the clubs to iron out if a deal is going to be signed off on.

However, talks are continuing between the parties, but the player's camp is not ruling out alternative options before the window slams shut later this week, meaning it is not certain that he will move to Elland Road.

The attacking midfielder, who tends to play out wide on the left wing, suffered a season-ending knee injury last September, but he was involved with Spurs during pre-season, and has been an unused substitute so far this season.

Solomon has already snubbed a move to La Liga outfit Getafe, according to Fabrizio Romano.

However, it has been reported that his preference, if he is to move, is to stay in England. That's according to the The Yorkshire Evening Post, and Elland Road could present that opportunity for him.

According to other reports from The Yorkshire Evening Post, the player was set to undergo a medical over the weekend ahead of his season-long switch from the English capital.

Despite the latest claims from Lugasi, Graham Smyth is reporting that the deal is on track. He wrote that although the deal is taking longer than others have to complete, club sources insist it remains possible and ongoing.

Manor Solomon deal breaking down may not be the end of the world for Leeds United

The Whites have been linked with a number of wingers in recent times and they have already landed one in the last week, with Largie Ramazani officially joining from UD Almeria in Spain.

Coming in for an eight-figure fee, fans can expect him to be heavily involved this term, along with the likes of Willy Gnonto and Dan James. However, two of those prefer the left flank, which is the same for Solomon.

He has mainly operated as a winger during his career on the left, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see him play out wide at Elland Road, which could mean a restructuring of the attacking line-up, with perhaps Gnonto coming centrally.

In profile terms, it may have made more sense for Leeds to look at securing a natural central playmaker to replace Rutter, as opposed to moving so many players around to accommodate another left-sided winger, which is why if this deal does not go through, it would not be the end of the world.

The other issue is fitness, and that's where some hesitancy may come into the thinking on this one, but Solomon is definitely above the quality required to be a Championship footballer in terms of pure ability.

Pundit Carlton Palmer believes that Middlesbrough should not cash in on midfielder Hayden Hackney this summer amid reported interest from Tottenham Hotspur.

After progressing through the Boro academy, Hackney has become an integral part of the first team since making his breakthrough in the 2022-23 season, with the highlight of his time at the club coming when he scored the winner in the 1-0 win over Chelsea in the Carabao Cup in January.

The 22-year-old's impressive performances at club level earned him a first call-up to the England Under-21 squad last September, and it seems that he is attracting attention from elsewhere, with TBR Football's Graeme Bailey claiming that scouts from Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur have been present to watch him in action in the first two games of the season.

It remains to be seen whether Spurs will make a bid for Hackney, but Boro will be reluctant to lose him, and head of football Kieran Scott has previously stated that the club will take a firm stance when it comes to selling players this summer.

"It's vital (keeping players). I don't mind saying that. I can't control what other clubs may do or may not do but, from our position, we don't want to lose anyone," Scott told Teesside Live in June.

"The only chance we're going to have of going up this season is keeping our best players. I speak to Steve [Gibson] regularly and he's as strong and fiery on this as I've ever heard him in terms of us keeping our players here.

Palmer: Middlesbrough must not sell Hayden Hackney

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, Palmer said that despite strengthening their midfield with the signing of Aidan Morris, Boro should not cash in on Hackney this summer unless they receive a sizeable offer.

"Tottenham have been in the stands for Middlesbrough's opening two games running the rule over Hayden Hackney," Palmer said.

"There's a lot of interest in Hackney.

"He's playing regularly for Middlesbrough, and it would be a huge blow to their chances of getting in the play-offs this season or better if they were to lose him.

"But we know how it works, they're in that position where they have to sell players to bring in money.

"Maybe a deal will be done for Hackney and he could return to the club on loan for the rest of the season because it's highly unlikely that he would move to Spurs and be playing regular football.

"Under Postecoglou, it looks like Spurs are going down a different route, they've already signed Archie Gray from Leeds United, who has got a hell of a future in front of him, so it looks like they're going for young players to build the club for the future, which I think is the right route.

"But Michael Carrick will be very, very disappointed to lose Hackney, who has already got five England Under-21 caps, he will want the window to shut and still have him at the club.

"Without a shadow of a doubt, if they lose him, Middlesbrough's chances of doing well this season will sadly diminish, but we'll have to wait and see if a big offer comes in.

"I believe that Middlesbrough should hold onto him, I know they have signed Aidan Morris, but they should still hang on to him, unless they get a really ridiculous offer.

"Sometimes you can't hold a player back when an opportunity comes for him to go and play at the highest level, you just can't do that, you've got to give the kid the opportunity.

"But like I said, they would have to come with a massive offer, I think they would want around £20m with a very big sell-on fee for him.

"We'll have to wait and see where this eventually ends up, but I think Middlesbrough and Michael Carrick should keep hold of him for at least one more season.

"If they don't get promoted, I think it will be highly likely that he will be moving on."

Aidan Morris arrival should not change Middlesbrough's Hayden Hackney stance

It is difficult to disagree with Palmer that Boro should hold onto Hackney this summer.

While they have signed Morris, Jonny Howson has been injured in the early weeks of the season, and Dan Barlaser has fallen out of favour in recent months, so Michael Carrick's central midfield options would be stretched if he was to depart.

Scott has made it clear that Boro are determined to retain their key players this summer in order to mount a promotion push, and they are unlikely to change their stance on Hackney at this late stage of the transfer window, with little time left to find a replacement if he was to depart.

It has been a strong summer for Boro, and they must do everything possible to ensure that Hackney remains at the Riverside Stadium beyond next week's deadline.

Key Takeaways

Leeds United are close to securing a loan deal for Manor Solomon.

The player is set to undergo a medical this weekend.

It has been reported that Daniel Farke's side will pay a decent portion of his wages.

Leeds United are closing in on the loan signing of Tottenham Hotspur wide player Manor Solomon.

According to the Yorkshire Evening Post, the player is set to undergo a medical this weekend ahead of his season-long switch from the English capital.

Solomon only made six appearances for Spurs in all competitions during the 2023/24 campaign, registering two assists but failing to get himself on the scoresheet in any of these games.

And with the wide player failing to win much game time last term, it seemed likely that the Israel international was going to seal an exit from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium during this window.

He looks set for a move to Leeds, who are in need of more options in two areas he can play in.

Not only can he operate as a winger, but he can also play as a central attacking midfielder.

Largie Ramazani may have arrived in a £10.2m deal from Almeria, but another wide player will probably be required before the window closes, with both Jaidon Anthony and Crysencio Summerville leaving the club since the end of last term.

Summerville was a real game-changer for the Whites last term and was a big reason behind their top-three finish, so a sufficient amount of quality will need to come in to replace him.

And in the central attacking midfield role, Georginio Rutter has left Elland Road.

This is a real blow for Leeds, considering the impact he made in West Yorkshire during the 2023/24 campaign.

Daniel Farke's side wouldn't have wanted to lose the Frenchman, but an exit clause in his contract meant the Whites were powerless to stop him from making the move to Brighton.

Leeds United closing in on Manor Solomon signing

The Whites are closing in on a loan deal to sign Solomon, with the player expected to undergo a medical this weekend.

The Yorkshire Evening Post have also reported that the Championship side will pay a sizeable portion of the player's wages if he makes the loan move to Elland Road, with the club potentially able to spend a decent amount on salaries after the salaries of some key men.

This move comes after the Israeli was deemed surplus to requirements by Spurs, who didn't use him much last season.

Fabrizio Romano recently reported that the player had turned down a move to Getafe because he wanted to stay in England - and he looks set to have his wish granted.

Leeds United could benefit from Manor Solomon addition

Solomon has mainly played as a winger during his career and it wouldn't be a surprise to see him play out wide at Elland Road.

However, he faces stiff competition for a starting spot.

Dan James scored last night and Willy Gnonto has already made an impact this season.

Ramazani could also be a real asset - and all of this competition for a wing spot, with Solomon also joining, could help to raise standards at Elland Road.

With this in mind, as well as the fact Solomon can play centrally, the 25-year-old could be a decent addition.

Stoke City have reportedly made contact with Tottenham Hotspur over the possibility of bringing in young centre-back Ashley Phillips on loan before the end of the window.

TEAMtalk's sources state that there have been ‘positive conversations held’ about the 19-year-old, and the feeling is that the Potters are in a strong position to sign him before the deadline, with Spurs happy to let him depart on loan for the season and the remaining days of the window set to be very busy at the bet365 Stadium.

Their report also claims that various clubs from England and around Europe have shown an interest in Phillips this summer, with Tottenham's chiefs regarding him as a player who can go to the highest levels in football.

As well as that, TEAMtalk say that it is currently unclear whether Stoke are trying to negotiate for an option or obligation to buy to be inserted into Phillips’ loan deal, but that seems unlikely given the high regard he is held in in North London.

Phillips has impressed in the second-tier

Despite still only being 19-years-old, Phillips already has a fair bit of first-team, and particularly Championship, experience after coming through the ranks at Blackburn Rovers as a youth player.

Phillips joined Rovers in 2017 at age 12, and made his first-team debut for the club as a 17-year-old in an EFL Cup game against Hartlepool United in August 2022, then featured for the first time in a league match that same month as a late substitute in a win against West Brom.

He then played 12 more times in all competitions in his one and only senior season as a Rovers player, before he joined Spurs last summer in a release-clause deal worth around £2m, despite Blackburn previously asking for an overall figure closer to £9.5m.

Phillips has, understandably, found game-time in Ange Postecoglou's team hard to come by, and did not feature for Spurs' first team last season, but did make the bench in the Premier League seven times before he moved back to the second-tier on loan to Plymouth Argyle in the January window.

The Manchester-born centre-back impressed in his five-month stint at Home Park as Argyle battled the drop under Ian Foster and Neil Dewsnip - he made 16 league starts and was a key part of the side that eventually survived relegation.

He now looks set to depart North London yet again, this time for a longer spell, and could be heading to the Potteries to link-up with a former Plymouth boss in Steven Schumacher.

Stoke need another centre-back

There have been persistent links to centre-backs throughout the transfer window for the Potters, and for good reason, given Schumacher's clear lack of depth in the position as it stands.

Stoke currently have Michael Rose, Ben Wilmot and new man Ben Gibson as their senior centre-back options for this campaign, as well as highly-rated youngsters Jaden Dixon and Freddie Anderson, who have been given chances in the first-team after featuring in pre-season, but are unlikely to be trusted to play every week in the Championship.

Rose picked up an ankle injury in a friendly at Crewe Alexandra on July 23 and is set to be sidelined until at least the end of September, which led Steven Schumacher to admit that a centre-back signing was "high on the priority list" before the transfer window closes on August 30, but no new signings have been made as yet.

Phillips would be an ideal addition to the heart of Schumacher's defence, as he would add youth, but also some second-tier experience to a back-line that is looking somewhat weaker at this point than it has in previous seasons, especially after a 3-0 defeat at Watford last time out.

Gibson is a solid signing, but on the wrong side of 30 and has been known to be injury-prone at his previous clubs, while Wilmot has not quite been able to rediscover his strong form from before his consecutive back and knee injuries last year, so Stoke fans will be thankful to see centre-back reinforcements this month, and should be especially pleased if Phillips makes the move back up north to bolster their rearguard for 2024/25.

Manor Solomon - Tottenham Hotspur's Israeli international winger - is a reported target for Leeds United as they try to replace Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter.

YEP have identified Solomon as a player that the Whites are said to be considering at this point in the window.

The attacking midfielder, who tends to play out wide on the left wing, suffered a season-ending knee injury last September, but he was involved with Spurs during pre-season.

The departure of the aforementioned Leeds attacking pairing may have netted the club £65 million, but it also left them with one hell of a job to do to find their replacements before the transfer window closes on August 30th.

Between them they supplied just under 50 direct goal contributions in the previous campaign. No matter how much money you have to spend, there's no guarantee of that level of production being replicated.

Many options have been talked about. Sunderland's Jack Clarke has been mentioned, but the Black Cats want £25 million for the Leeds academy graduate, according to TEAMtalk.

Eredivisie wide players Carlos Forbs and Calvin Stengs were reportedly enquired about by Daniel Farke's side, but there are stumbling blocks with these prospective moves - one much bigger than the other.

Forbs may cost upwards of £20 million as Ajax paid Manchester City £17.3 million for him last summer, and a 20% sell-on clause was included in the deal, while Stengs is flatly unavailable, according to the Yorkshire Evening Post's (YEP) Joe Donnohue.

Burnley's Manuel Benson is also on the seemingly growing list of creative players that the Whites are targeting too.

But more options are still around, and Leeds are looking to the Premier League for their next potential move.

Manor Solomon identified as Leeds target

Solomon was an unused substitute in Tottenham's last three friendlies before the start of the new campaign, and he didn't feature in the squad that faced reigning Championship titleholders Leicester City in their first game of this Premier League season, suggesting that Ange Postecoglou may be open to letting him go.

His preference, if he is to move, is to stay in England, as per YEP, and Elland Road could present that opportunity for him.

Leeds are also reported to be considering Hungarian international Roland Sallai as another potential option to add creativity to Farke's team. He represented his country in Euro 2024, assisting the goal that knocked Scotland out of the competition.

Manor Solomon would be a great signing for Leeds

The last Championship season showed the power of having Premier League-level players in the second tier: it usually takes you to the top, if not near it.

The 25-year-old's record in the top flight may not be massively deep in terms of experience, but his effectiveness has been proven.

Even in his injury-halted campaign last time out, he provided two assists in five appearances for Spurs. The season before that, for Fulham, he scored four goals in 19 appearances, in which he only started in as many games as he found the back of the net.

Assuming health with him is not easy, and that's where some hesitancy may come into the thinking on this one, but Solomon is definitely above the quality required to be a Championship footballer.

Middlesbrough midfielder Hayden Hackney has been watched by Tottenham Hotspur in the opening weeks of the 2024-25 season, as the north London outfit consider a potential transfer swoop.

Hackney has started the new campaign superbly, and was unlucky to be denied a stunning goal by Derby County's Josh Vickers on Saturday.

However, reports from TBR Football's Graeme Bailey have stated that Spurs are scouting the 22-year-old, who has three years left on his contract at the Riverside Stadium.

Spurs have been interested in the young midfielder for a while, but this latest development shows an acceleration in their admiration, with Michael Carrick desperate to avoid any late upsets to his side's summer window.

With Premier League football on offer, it could be hard for Middlesbrough to deny Hackney a move if Ange Postecoglou's side do submit a bid, however it is very early days in this saga.

Hayden Hackney is a vital part of Michael Carrick's Middlesbrough squad

The additions of Aidan Morris, Micah Hamilton and Tommy Conway have gone down a treat in Teesside, but fears of losing a key player like Hackney could quickly dampen the mood.

Born in Redcar, the 22-year-old is a product of Middlesbrough's academy, and after breaking into the first-team on a consistent basis in the 2022/23 season, he has gone on to make over 70 appearances for the club.

He has played every minute of Boro's opening two league games in the new Championship campaign, and was excellent against Swansea City in gameweek one, helping his side to a 1-0 win.

As a defensive midfielder, Hackney's job is to scoop up anything that falls in front of the defence, and create new attacks from deep.

Nevertheless, Hackney is more than competent going forward, and has been a key reason behind Boro's recent success, scoring four goals and picking up four assists in his first two full league seasons.

According to Bailey, Middlesbrough are concerned over a late move for the midfielder, and with the window slamming shut on August 30, there is not a lot of time left to find a replacement.

Middlesbrough may have to brace for late Hackney and Emmanuel Latte Lath interest

Although there has been a vast number of incomings throught the door at the Riverside in the last couple of months, there are still fears over the losses of other individuals.

Emmanuel Latte Lath has been targeted by Wolverhampton Wanderers, as well as AS Monaco, RB Salzburg and VfB Stuttgart in recent weeks, as per Tutto Mercato Webb.

The striker was superb in his first season in England in 2023/24, scoring 16 goals in 30 Championship games as Middlesbrough finished 8th.

Rav van den Berg is another linked with a move away from the north-east, but, despite interest from Anderlecht, he looks likely to stay with Carrick's side this summer.

Nevertheless, keeping Hackney out of the hands of Premier League sides is a priority. Yet, with scouts from not only Tottenham but also Nottingham Forest, West Ham United and Wolves watching him, it could only be a matter of days before he does make a move.