(Credit: Imago)

Jacob Raw

Mon 20 April 2026 19:10, UK

Hayden Hackney has been crowned the Championship’s Player of the Season, and Middlesbrough may have some extra leverage over Leeds United in discussions.

The midfielder was given the award on Sunday over the likes of Leeds-linked Femi Azeez, Carl Rushworth and Championship top goal scorer, Zan Vipotnik.

The Whites have been credited with interest in the Redcar-born star, whose dream is to play in the Premier League.

Boro have slipped out of the race for automatic promotion, but with Play-offs still a great chance for them to join Leeds in the Premier League, the Whites may not have an easy task of signing him.

However, if Kim Hellberg’s side falls short of stepping up, then Leeds could offer Hackney Premier League football, something his hometown club can not.

Hayden Hackney could cost Leeds a fortune

As a result of Hackney winning this prestigious award, it only adds more value to his name ahead of any summer departure.

The feeling on Teesside is that the 23-year-old will leave his club this summer if the club fails to achieve promotion, and Leeds are one of the clubs interested.

Hackney five goals and seven assists from midfield in 38 games, and his side have been on their worst run under Hellberg since he picked up a calf injury against Bristol City last month.

Regardless, the Englishman’s value will be sky high this summer, and the award will only add another few pennies onto what Leeds may have to pay.

However, the big bonus is that Hackney’s current deal with Boro runs until the summer of 2027, and with 12 months left on his contract, they may be forced to sell for less than what he is worth.

The reality is that Boro know they can’t keep him if they stay a Championship club, but are aware of his brilliance. A deal worth an excess of £20million can be expected.

Who could leave if Hackney signed?

Hackney is an all-action midfielder, and possesses a unique ability to make driving runs from deep and play incisive passes to cut open the opposition.

He gets stuck in defensively and works tremendously well while under pressure from opponents, while also being very good at applying pressure in the final third himself.

The main part of the Boro-born man’s game is his ability to set the tempo of a match, and that is something that Leeds sometimes misses.

He’s similar to Ao Tanaka in some ways, but has certainly had more of an effect for Middlesbrough this term than Leeds’ Japanese star ever did last campaign, who could leave Elland Road soon.

But the question is, would Hackney be able to make the step up?