Tottenham Hotspur are continuing their search for midfield reinforcements this summer, but fresh reports suggest they may be facing an uphill battle to land one of their reported targets – Hayden Hackney.Tottenham Hotspur are looking to bolster their midfield ranks this summer as they seek to strengthen several areas of their squad.One name that has been mentioned as a potential target is Hayden Hackney, the Middlesbrough midfielder who has just 12 months remaining on his current deal with the Championship side.Middlesbrough missed out on promotion to the Premier League after being beaten by Hull City in the play-off games, and Hackney is now expected to depart the Riverside Stadium.Photo by Stu Forster/Getty ImagesTottenham face setback in Hayden Hackney transfer raceYesterday, Spurs Web reported that Tottenham had entered the race for Hackney alongside several other Premier League sides, including Manchester United and Crystal Palace, who are also looking to sign a midfielder this summer.Hackney is expected to be available for around £25m, and Spurs were reported to be preparing a move for the 23-year-old.According to The Athletic, Tottenham Hotspur are not Hayden Hackney’s preferred choice this summer. Instead, it is claimed that the Middlesbrough man favours a move to Everton, with the Toffees also keen on signing a midfielder. Everton is currently leading the race for Hackney, with club-to-club talks expected to take place soon as they push to finalise a deal. Spurs are mentioned by The Athletic as being among the leading contenders alongside Crystal Palace, while Manchester United are not currently expected to pursue a move despite their admiration for the midfielder. Hackney is expected to make a decision soon, after which negotiations between the clubs will take place.Spurs risk repeat of Adam Wharton transfer missMany Tottenham fans have reacted to the club’s interest in Hackney following recent reports, with sections of the fanbase keen to see a deal completed.Spurs‘ interest has been compared to the one they showed in Adam Wharton a few summers ago, when the former Blackburn Rovers midfielder was on Tottenham’s radar before Crystal Palace secured his signature. Wharton is now one of the Premier League’s top midfielders and is valued at around £80m following his impressive performances since moving from the Championship.Missing out on Hackney could see a repeat of the Wharton situation. Spurs have attempted to sign the Crystal Palace man in recent windows, but Palace’s valuation remains high.The same thing also happened when James Maddison went to Leicester and Eberechi Eze went to Crystal Palace. Hackney, meanwhile, is said to favour a move to Everton due to the greater likelihood of regular first-team football, something that is less certain at Tottenham or Manchester United. That is likely to be an important factor in any decision.READ MORE: Tottenham open talks with Man City over Savinho deal after rumours of £10m discountThe post Tottenham risk repeat of Adam Wharton mistake as Everton emerge as favourites for £25m star appeared first on Spurs Web.