Hayden Hackney race: Should Carrick stay on, United remain favourites
· Yahoo Sports
Six games unbeaten, with five of those being wins, Manchester United have certainly turned a corner under Michael Carrick.
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Dramatic late wins and seeing off their biggest rivals like Manchester City and Arsenal have meant the Red Devils have risen to fourth in the Premier League table, just three points behind third-placed Aston Villa.
That has meant the caretaker head coach’s prospects of remaining at the helm beyond this season are rising exponentially as we speak.
Should the former club legend be named permanent head coach, the 20-time English league champions could be favourites to land one of Carrick’s old proteges in the summer.
Carrick’s future could determine where Hayden Hackney lands up
As relayed by Givemesport, Middlesbrough’s Hayden Hackney, who has been a revelation in the Championship, could be set for a big move in the summer.
His impressive form has meant plenty of Premier League clubs are chasing the 23-year-old, including Tottenham Hotspur and Leeds United.
But Carrick has already spoken to United’s recruitment team and should he stay, the three-time Champions League winners are expected to jump for the England U21 international.
“Hackney’s performances in the Championship have impressed United scouts this season, including interim head coach Michael Carrick, who has already spoken to the recruitment team about his former player.
Carrick to push for Hayden Hackney
“Should Carrick remain in charge of United beyond the end of the season, he is likely to push the club to sign Hackney.
“The pair share a strong relationship from their time at Middlesbrough and Hackney is now believed to have emerged as a major contender to join United if Carrick stays.”
INEOS’ primary targets include the likes of Brighton and Hove Albion star Carlos Baleba, Elliot Anderson of Nottingham Forest, Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton and Sandro Tonali of Newcastle.
The Cameroonian’s form does not warrant an extensive outlay, while Manchester City are in pole position for the Forest ace.
Hayden Hackney fits the bill
Real Madrid’s entry complicates the race for Wharton, which means, as things stand, Tonali might be the most attainable option, with the Italian rejecting Serie A interest in favour of staying in England.
But with Casemiro set to leave, and Manuel Ugarte likely to follow suit, United will need at least two midfielders, and Hayden Hackney’s skillset and relatively low cost makes him the perfect addition.
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