Tottenham Hotspur are expected to pursue the midfield position hard this summer transfer window with potentially multiple signings, especially with veteran loan acquisition Joao Palhinha now expected to head home to Portugal this year. Roberto De Zerbi wants to play out on the front foot and a much different style than Thomas Frank, so he needs the right personnel in the middle of the park.
Although Tottenham want to go for more established Premier League stars, the ethos of the club, especially in the last few years, has been to sign future stars before they become stars, as it is exceedingly difficult for them to sign the biggest players in the league, like Antoine Semenyo, ahead of some of their rivals.
One interesting name Tottenham fans are watching as an alternative signing to, say, Adam Wharton in the middle of the park is Hayden Hackney, who isn't as big of a fish as the Crystal Palace star but is also viewed as the next big thing in the English midfield.
Tottenham watching Adam Wharton alternative
According to a report from the Northern Echo's Scott Wilson, Tottenham Hotspur are indeed among the teams interested in Middlesborough star Hayden Hackney, and Wilson writes that they are expected to send in a formal tranfer offer for a player targeted by Manchester United and other big clubs this summer.
Spurs have found success signing players from the EFL Championship, such as Archie Gray and Wilson Odobert, who look like they can be key players for the future. Signing Hackney would be comparable in cost and future upside to Gray, who was arguably Spurs most consistent player in the 2025/26 season.
Hackney had a strong 2025/26 campaign of his own in the second division of English football. He is a very well rounded 23 year old midfielder with the vision and creativity to pick out the killer pass, the instincts to run the midfield, and even the quality to threaten to score from range.
Although he is not the finished product and is actually a little bit older than Archie Gray, Hayden Hackney is the sort of player who should be on Tottenham's radar. It would make more sense for Spurs to take a flier on Hackney in addition to signing a bigger name in the midfield who can shine immediately, such as Liverpool's Curtis Jones. Even if some Spurs fans are not smitten with the Middlesborough man, at least he is a caliber of target worth watching.
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