The Championship has given the PL some of the best players & it’s the perfect league for teams to hunt & look for long-term future aspects at an excellent price. Just a level below the Premier League, so the biggest concern of adapting to the conditions has been addressed. Some of the big names that are shining in the league and are the topic of interest for many big clubs have already played & shone in the Championship.
The biggest example in this category is Adam Wharton. Before Wharton joined Palace, he was at Blackburn Rovers & was balling in the Championship & many big clubs were interested in him, but nobody took the punt & Palace saw the perfect opportunity & signed him. Currently, we all know Wharton is one of the best midfielders in the league & even clubs like Real Madrid are also interested in him.
Currently, there is another midfieder who is touted to have a similar or even a better path than Wharton. He is Hayden Hackney, playing in Middlesbrough, and he has taken the Championship apart in recent years. Still only 23, the English-born midfielder who has been Middlesbrough through & through as he signed his first pro contract at the age of 17. Hayden Hackney was properly integrated into the team since the 22/23 season, when he was only 20 years old.
Versitality
Hackney has been producing insane numbers for the club. He is naturally a CDM but has also played as an 8 in some games. Hence, both his offensive and defensive numbers are quite good. He can play as a lone 6, a box-to-box midfielder, and as a right centre midfielder in a 4-3-3. In a system like Slot’s Liverpool, Hackney’s ability to act as an efficient carrier and protector of the backline fits them in their dynamic approach. His real strength lies in starting an attack and distributing the balls in the final third, making him an asset in Ruben Amorim’s or Thomas Frank’s tactics, where quick ball distribution and forward thinking are key tactics.
Compared to Other Championship Midfielders
Hayden Hackney vs Championship Midfielders, 24/25
- Progressive actions – 1st
- Progressive carries – 1st
- Accelerations – 1st
- Pre-assists – 1st
- Touches – 2nd
- Passes completed – 2nd
- Forward passes completed – 2nd
- Progressive passes completed – 2nd
- Accurate passes to the final third – 2nd
- Passes to the penalty box – 2nd
- Deep completions – 2nd
These stats show that Hackney is already on a level above any Championship midfielder. Hackney is carrying Middlesbrough & the Boro are looking for a remarkable return to the top flight. Teams like United, Liverpool & Spurs, who are looking quite hollow in their midfield, should definitely target Hackney.
Hackney vs Wharton vs Anderson vs Baleba
This is a comparison between Hackney & some of the elite PL young midfielders.
Wharton, Anderson & Baleba are the most talked-about midfielders in the EPL & we can see that Hackney is dominating them in some metric. This just shows the class of Hayden Hackney.
- 2nd in duels %
- 1st in progressive carries
- 1st in forward passes
- 1st in forward pass %
- 1st in key passes
- 1st in progressive passes
These stats show that Hackney is clear of all the finest young EPL midfielders, although many people can take the argument that he plays in the Championship, but as I highlighted earlier, even Wharton used to play in the Championship & it isnt a proper criterion to disregard a player’s calibre.
Suited Clubs
Hayden Hackney is going to be at the top of the Premier League, maybe not now, but eventually, he will rise. He is destined to become the next big thing in English football, but he needs to make sure that he decides on the perfect club for himself. In my opinion, directly going to United or Liverpool will hamper his game time& perhaps steal his flair.
Spurs should sign him this January transfer window & build their midfield around him & Bergvall. Both are perfect & would work absolutely perfectly in a double pivot in their 4-2-3-1.
