£20m talent hands Middlesbrough injury blow ahead of crucial Portsmouth contest - as ex-Fratton loanee could return

Middlesbrough will be without star-man Hayden Hackney for Pompey’s visit this afternoon, according to boss Kim Hellberg.

But Boro could welcome back Morgan Whittaker and ex-Fratton Park loanee Sammy Silvera for the pivotal showdown at the Riverside Stadium.

The Blues make the long trip to the north east today, with the contest potentially having significant impacts at either end of the table.

Middlesbrough will, though, continue to be without influential midfielder Hackney, who remains sidelined with a calf problem.

The 23-year-old has missed Boro’s previous three matches after sustaining the issue during a 1-1 draw against Bristol City at the end of March.

The Riverside Stadium academy product has been vital to Hellberg’s side’s promotion hopes this term, netting five goals and registering eight assists as they sit one point behind second placed Millwall.

£20m man to miss Pompey showdown

This has sparked heavy interest in his services, with the likes of Spurs, Nottingham Forest, Brighton, Fulham and Brentford reportedly keeping tabs on his current situation and was also close to a £20m move to Ipswich Town last summer.

But Hackney is expected to miss a portion of Middlesbrough’s critical run-in as he continues to nurse his ongoing calf problem, which is taking him longer than expected to recover.

Speaking to Teesside Live ahead of this afternoon’s showdown with Pompey, Hellberg said: ‘He's on his way back but it goes a bit slower than we'd hoped, as you'd understand. We had hopes for the Millwall game but he couldn't participate in that or the Swansea game.

‘It gets better but not as quick as we wanted. I thought the Millwall game, so I still hope and think that [before end of the season] but it goes a bit slower than we thought.’

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Former Pompey man to make injury return

But there is expected to be some respite on the injury front for Boro, who could welcome back three faces for the Blues’ visit today.

That includes former Southampton man Matt Targett, along with Whittaker and Silvera, who have been nursing muscular and ankle injuries respectively.

Silvera, of course, spent the first half of the 2024-25 at Fratton Park during a disappointing loan stint, which saw him fail to register a goal or assist in any of his 14 Pompey outings.

The Aussie, who has featured 19 times in the Championship for Boro this term, returned to training this week and is back in contention to make the squad against hsi former side this afternoon.

Hellberg added: ‘It was better than we thought on (Alex) Bangura. He won't participate in this game but I think he'll be back for the Ipswich game hopefully. It's much better than we thought.

‘Tiggs [Matt Targett] will have to cope with the pain. I think Matt will be in the squad and Sam [Silvera] is getting better.

‘Sam (Silvera) has been on the pitch in the week. So maybe he can return. Morgan [Whittaker] is getting closer, closer too. He could be.

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