Who exactly is Hayden Hackney? FourFourTwo's two-minute scout report

A 23-year-old with nearly 200 senior games under his belt already, step forward Hayden Hackney.

The Middlesbrough captain is again making waves in the Championship this season, showing teams in the Premier League that age is just a number when you have capabilities beyond your years.

But why are some of England's top sides already taking a keen interest in the Boro skipper, and what does he do so well, week in, week out? FourFourTwo takes a deeper look with another scout report…

So… who exactly is Hayden Hackney?

Hackney has been with Boro since joining at Under-10 level and was spotted whilst playing for his local side, Redcar Town. Having only played for one other side, Scunthorpe United, the 23-year-old excelled during his loan spell with the Iron, showing capabilities far beyond the level of the National League.

Ever since returning, Hackney has been pivotal to both Michael Carrick and now Kim Hellberg's teams, taking on the responsibility as captain and anchoring the side with his terrific range of passing and dynamic displays. If they are to achieve promotion to the Premier League this season, Hackney is a player deserving of that level, at just 23.

Hackney's strengths

Long-range passing: You will not see many better passes of the ball outside England's top-flight than Hackney. A big game player, the England Under-21 international loves nothing more than to pick out his team-mates with long, searching balls, highlighting his capabilities as an 8.

Decision making: Hackney's maturity as a central midfielder has seen some already compare him to Toni Kroos. Delicate with his touches, the 23-year-old has a knack for knowing what action to take at what precise time in the game, to the benefit of both himself and his teammates.

Tenacity in the tackle: The Boro star wears his heart on his sleeve; that embodiment of a local lad represents the team he grew up wanting to play for, in a way. No wonder he has been given the armband already, with fans adoring his passion and endeavour whenever he pulls on the red shirt.

Uses his frame well: Having filled out to now stand at 5ft 10in, Hackney has a perfect midfielder frame that helps him keep opposition players away whenever they try to press him. Press resistant like no other, Hayden loves to turn and angle himself to protect the ball when in possession and it's been paramount to Middlesbrough's success this term.

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Derry's areas of development

Clinical finishing: Hackney gets himself into great positions, but is often the supporter in attacks, with third man runs galore and helping to create the move more than anything. If he can add that clinical finishing to his game, he would become unstoppable.

Winning duels: Win your tackles and win your headers, the rest takes care of itself. The youngster has all the capabilities to do so consistently, but his duel percentage is just over half, and if he can bolster those numbers, his game will again benefit.

Unnecessary fouls: The Championship moves fast, but Hackney's heart-on-sleeve mantra often causes trouble given his high foul rate. That may improve with age, as he is forced to work smarter when out of possession.

Hackney's ceiling

Hackney will likely become a Premier League player this summer, whether that be with Middlesbrough or elsewhere. A well-established England Under-21 international, taking the next step to catch the attention of those at senior level will be key, and his move in the summer could be paramount to those hopes.