The Man Utd legend may have given Liverpool the answer to the Premier League's big problem

Liverpool could solve one of their most pressing problems with the help of a former Manchester United player before the summer transfer window closes. The Reds are currently short of homegrown players and will need to add more after the departure of several long-serving stars including Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jordan Henderson and James Milner.

Liverpool no longer have the minimum of seven homegrown players they need for a Premier League side, which could leave them relying on youngsters to make up the numbers. Ben Doak and James McConnell have both been named on the bench for Sunday's draw at Chelsea, but it seems clear that Jurgen Klopp could benefit from a few more homegrown stars at his disposal.

The Reds could do far worse than target a move for Middlesbrough playmaker Hayden Hackney, who enjoyed a brilliant breakthrough campaign at the Riverside last season. The 21-year-old has thrived under Michael Carrick and the former United midfielder could be doing Liverpool a huge service by sanctioning Hackney's summer departure.

However, any deal should work out for Carrick, with Liverpool unlikely to secure Hackney's signature cheaply. He was linked with the Merseyside giants as well as Arsenal and Newcastle earlier this summer but recently ended speculation by signing a new long-term deal at Middlesbrough.

Hackney is valued at just over £2m but would surely demand a higher fee, given his potential growth cap and status as a local player. He became a key man for Middlesbrough in the second half of last season and has played every minute of the new campaign for the Teeside club so far.

Carrick was lyrical about Hackney after he was nominated for the Championship Young Player of the Season award in April, saying: "One of the most important things I can say about Hayden is that you would never know what just happened in the game or the previous game at that time, he just keeps going, playing his football and believing in himself.

“There is real confidence in his own abilities without showing any arrogance. I really love the way he goes about his business. which is a very good quality to have, especially as a midfielder."

Hackney's profile would certainly be a good fit for Liverpool, who are calling for more homegrown players and at least one more central midfielder this summer. Although the Middlesbrough ace isn't automatically a starter for the Reds, his development could thrive under Klopp given his rapid rise to prominence over the past few months.

His arrival would also allow Doak and McConnell to hone their craft at Liverpool's youth academy, which might be the best course of action at this stage of their respective careers. However, only time will tell if Hackney will eventually move to Anfield before the transfer window closes in early September.

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