Having avoided relegation from the Premier League, Tottenham Hotspur are now plotting a summer move for a Championship star.

Tottenham avoid the drop after victory against Everton

With West Ham United running out emphatic 3-0 winners against Leeds United, Tottenham had to pick up at least a draw at home to Everton, and they managed to get over the line with a narrow 1-0 victory.

Roberto De Zerbi can breathe a sigh of relief, after guiding his side to safety by just two points, and he was quick to praise his players after the match, saying: “We have a lot of big players and big guys. You can see today, they played a fantastic game with the ball.

“They played maybe their best game in my time here, you can imagine how big the personality is of my players. We played an incredible game. They deserve everything football gave them today."

De Zerbi has won three, drew two and lost two of his seven games in charge thus far, playing a major role in Spurs staying up.

However, having now finished 17th in the Premier League for two seasons on the bounce, there are clearly deep-rooted issues, and the Italian will need to get his recruitment right in the upcoming transfer window.

Spurs set out to strengthen in midfield

As things stand, it remains unclear whether Joao Palhinha will remain a Tottenham player beyond the summer, which means it may be important to sign a new midfielder, and they have now set their sights on Middlesbrough star Hayden Hackney.

That is according to TEAMtalk, with a report stating Boro may be forced to sell Hackney, after losing 1-0 against Hull City at Wembley in the Championship play-off final, and they have set an asking price of £25m, in light of the midfielder having just one year remaining on his contract.

Having secured their own safety, Spurs are now in a position to raid the Championship club, and journalist Eric Paylor has suggested the Boro star is ready to make the step-up to the top flight.

At the end of April, Paylor said: “The best player in the Championship. Just think if Boro had been able to call upon Hackney, (Riley) McGree and (Finn) Azaz over the last eight or nine games of the campaign. Winning automatic promotion would be a doddle.

The captain missed his side's final eight games of the regular season, before missing the play-off semi finals, and returned to play just 20 minutes at Wembley, and Boro won just two matches in his absence.

The 23-year-old created 83 chances in the Championship, which was the joint-second highest number in the second tier, and an average of 1.5 successful dribbles per 90 ranked him first in the Boro squad.

£25m would also be an affordable fee for Tottenham, who can finally start making plans for the summer transfer window with more certainty.

Read next: Tottenham eyeing surprise move for ex-Celtic midfielder