However, the Middlesbrough boss also insists he has not burned any bridges with the midfielder, and is ready to welcome him back into the side with open arms if he decides to remain on Teesside.
Hackney is currently pondering his future after Boro accepted a bid from Ipswich for his services, with a decision over what happens next understood to be imminent.
While the homegrown midfielder always felt a move away from the Riverside was a strong possibility this summer, he would much prefer to be moving to a club in the Premier League or a European top-flight rather than another side in the Championship.
Ipswich are reportedly offering him £35,000-a-week at Portman Road, a significant increase on his current earnings at Boro, but Hackney could opt to hold tight to see if any alternative approaches arrive before the end of the transfer window. Either way, Edwards insists he is unconcerned about the situation.
“I can’t say too much more right now than what’s already been said [that an offer has been accepted],” said the Boro boss. “The ball, so to speak, is in H’s [Hackney] court now, and that’s where we stand.
“I think it’s a win-win, and I’m happy to reassure fans of that and to be calm about the situation. If H stays here, he’s a brilliant player and he’s ours which is great. If he’s not, there will be funds available.”
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While Boro have made two signings in the last week-and-a-half, bringing in centre-half Alfie Jones from Hull City and midfielder Abdoulaye Faye from Troyes, the remainder of their summer business in contingent, to at least some degree, on the sum that is raised from player sales this summer.
Hackney and Rav van den Berg are Boro’s most saleable assets, and their fate will influence how many more incoming deals are signed off this summer.
That said, though, talks over Callum Brittain have progressed significantly over the last few days, with a deal for the Blackburn Rovers full-back now understood to be close.
“I don’t like talking about other people’s players because I don’t think it’s the right thing to do,” said Edwards, in an interview with BBC Tees. “We are working incredibly hard.
“I’ve said that for a number of weeks now. The guys are working incredibly hard to make sure that we’re going into, first of all, the opening game in good shape, but then beyond that, there’s a few weeks beyond that and there will be more action, I’m sure.
“I’m pretty sure that we will be in a decent spot heading into that first game against Swansea. There’s a lot of hard work going on. I understand people raising those points [there being a lot of gaps to fill], and I agree. We know that. But my focus also is to work on the here and now and the players that we have got, and they’ve been responding really well.”
Edwards admits that strengthening in the wide positions remains a key priority, with Boro’s pre-season games suggesting he intends to at least start the season with a 3-4-3 formation that is heavily reliant on wing-backs.
“There is still work that we would like to do,” he said. “I think we need strengthening on the outside of the pitch and probably in the middle now as well.
“There are areas we need to strengthen, there is no doubt about that. And probably just boosting the numbers as well. To add that competition and more quality going into what is going to be a really challenging season.”
