Exclusive: Middlesbrough desperate to keep loan star next season, transfer race is developing
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(Credit: Imago) Mon 20 April 2026 14:15, UK Middlesbrough will try to sign left-back Matt Targett permanently this summer, even if they don’t secure promotion from the Championship, sources have told Football Insider.The Newcastle United loanee is out of contract with his parent club at the end of the season, with a whole host of clubs currently eyeing up the possibility of a move for him this summer. Middlesbrough have already made it clear that they “would love” to sign the 30-year-old permanently upon the expiry of his deal, especially if they can get back into the Premier League.The former Southampton man has been a key figure for Kim Hellberg’s side this season, and he is currently “weighing up” the options that are available to him heading into the final stages of his contract.
Promotion at the end of the season would give Middlesbrough a major boost when it comes to their ability to keep hold of their key players, and that includes Targett after the season he has enjoyed. The defender appears set to have a wide array of options on the table for him when it comes to choosing his next club, and the ability to offer top-flight football would be a useful string to Middlesbrough’s bow.
Boro face fresh Hayden Hackney exit fearFormer Manchester United chief scout Mick Brown recently told Football Insider that Nottingham Forest could accelerate their interest in Hayden Hackney in the coming weeks, with the Reds understood to view him as the Championship’s best midfielder.The Boro captain has consistently been linked with a move to the Premier League in recent seasons, and this could finally be the window where he moves on from his boyhood club. Brown suggested that it will be impossible for Middlesbrough to keep hold of Hackney if they are still a second-tier club next term, and that appears increasingly likely after they let their lead over Ipswich slip.