Manchester United are on the lookout for two of the Championship’s best midfielders, with the club considering a move for Hayden Hackney and Shay Charles, a new report has revealed.
Strengthen the lineup
Ineos’ priority in his third summer at the helm of Manchester United is to overhaul the midfield, with previous transfer windows focused on upgrading defense and attack. With only Manuel Ugarte signed to bolster the midfield since Sir Jim Ratcliffe became co-owner, this transfer is easily the worst of the group’s tenure.
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The 25-year-old Uruguayan will be sold if a suitable buyer can be found, with Casemiro certain to leave when his contract expires, leaving Coby Mainu as the only senior midfielder at Old Trafford.
A replacement for the Brazilian behemoth is considered the most urgent and also the most costly. A versatile No. 8 to rotate with Mainoo is also on the agenda, as well as a younger (and cheaper) option to provide depth – but only if Ugarte is sold.
Competitor Two names revealed to be on Manchester United’s wishlist are Middlesbrough midfield maestro Hackney and Southampton Dynamo Charles. By moving into the Championship, the Red Devils will be able to target players who feel comfortable in a league with a similar pace and intensity to the Premier League without having to pay the associated fees.
It will be interesting to note how these signings will fit in with the obvious jump in quality from England’s Second Division to the First Division, but the Premier League is full of quality players who first made their name elsewhere in the football pyramid.
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Hayden Hackney
Hackney is clearly familiar with United manager Michael Carrick after spending time together at the Riverside Stadium. However, since Carrick’s departure, the 23-year-old has gone from strength to strength, firmly establishing himself as one of the Championship’s best playmakers.
The red card native has the ability to dominate the game from the back, with an excellent passing range and the ability to evade the opponent’s press. He has also added more attacking threat to his game this season, contributing six goals and eight assists to help Middlesbrough reach the playoff final – albeit in a controversial manner, which will be discussed later.
Competitor Claims Hackney is “well-liked” by the Old Trafford hierarchy, particularly his former manager. He is seen as a talent with “huge potential”, especially since these types of midfield leaders rarely have their full capabilities before the age of 23 – as Luka Modric or Vitinha have proven.
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However, United are not the only team to express their admiration for Hackney, with Brighton, Crystal Palace, Everton, Newcastle and Nottingham Forest all keeping an eye on Hackney.
Middlesbrough’s success in this weekend’s playoff final against Hull City is likely to be key to his availability, although sources say an exit is inevitable either way. The price tag is believed to be £30 million.
Shay Charles
The 22-year-old Charles has developed into a complete midfielder at St Mary’s, capable of playing in multiple areas of the pitch, including at the back. That kind of versatility will be attractive to United given the different positions Carrick’s side need to address this summer.
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The Northern Ireland international has already captained his country at the age of 20 and has impressed for Michael O’Neill’s side against high-octane opponents in Germany and Italy. Manchester United sporting director Jason Wilcox signed Charles from Southampton in July 2023 for £15 million after they worked together at Manchester City’s youth academy, where Wilcox served as director.
Competitor Said that if he is given space to continue to develop at Dream Theater, the Saints midfielder is regarded as a “lower cost” option with “potential high growth space”. Interestingly, Southampton may be forced to sell many of their star players this summer after being embroiled in the “Spygate” controversy. Despite beating Middlesbrough in the semi-finals, Southampton were found guilty of espionage by the English Football League and kicked out of the playoffs.
There has been a huge backlash both within and outside the south coast club, with calls for head coach Toda Eckert to resign. If Southampton advance, they will be in a strong position to negotiate for Charles; now, with United circling in the background, it has never been weaker.
final thoughts
The frustrating reality is that Ugarte, an incompetent Uruguayan, would have no difficulty getting promoted this summer, considering he joined from Paris Saint-Germain for £50.7m two years ago. The only difficulty United have is finding a willing buyer to take him off their hands permanently.
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Hackney and Charles are both excellent additions, although the Middlesbrough maestro is a more accomplished and developed player at this stage of his respective careers. However, Charles’ physical attributes and versatility make him a better lineup option and a more complementary partner to Mainu, who shares many traits with Hackney.
But if Luis Enrique’s PSG side – rejuvenated by ousting Ugarte from the French capital in place of rising Portuguese star Joao Neves – has taught us anything, it’s that you can no way You have too many technically gifted midfielders in your squad.
The Spanish tactician is INEOS’ dream coach, leading their revolution in the M16; if he were given the choice between Hackney and Charles, the ‘Middlesbrough’ playmaker would be wearing the red jersey on the first day of the summer transfer window.
Featured image Justin Setterfield via Getty Images
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