Town and Middlesbrough have agreed a fee for midfielder Hayden Hackney, TWTD understands.
A fortnight ago, TWTD revealed that the Blues have been chasing Hackney all summer but that they had stepped up their interest and made an approach to the Teessiders.
We understand the clubs have now agreed a fee below the £20 million figure reported elsewhere over the weekend with Boro ultimately set to receive £15 million after add-ons.
However, the player is still biding his time before making a decision on his future with Premier League interest having been anticipated this summer. However, none has, so far, been forthcoming.
The Blues have spoken to the player regarding terms, again significantly below what was reported at the weekend, having been given permission by the Teessiders.
On Saturday, Hackney was left out of the Boro side which drew 2-2 with Rangers at Ibrox due to a minor injury, which manager Rob Edwards insisted had nothing to do with the Redcar-born schemer’s future.
"H felt a little bit of pain in the back of his knee yesterday and at the minute, we can’t risk anything,” he told Teesside Live.
"We wouldn’t want to do that with any player at this time. It’s nothing to do with anything transfer-wise. There was genuine pain there and Reidy [head physio Adam Reid] said it’s just not worth the risk.
"We kept him at home where he’s able to get some treatment. Listen, we have got good players and there is always going to be interest and speculation. But this one was genuinely just a bit of pain in the knee and is genuinely nothing to worry about.”
Despite having signed Dutchman Azor Matusiwa from Rennes in France, the Blues are in the market for more central midfielders with loanees Jens Cajuste and Kalvin Phillips having moved on at the end of the season, Massimo Luongo released before joining Millwall and skipper Sam Morsy switching to Kuwait SC earlier in the week.
One-time Scunthorpe loanee Hackney, who is contracted until the summer of 2027, came through the youth system at Boro, his local club, having joined the club as an U10.
He was part of the England U21s squad which won the European Championships in Slovakia last month alongside Town forward Omari Hutchinson.