Everton are in talks with Middlesbrough about signing Hayden Hackney, says David Ornstein, from The Athletic. The midfielder, one of the most coveted names in the Championship, has 12 months left on his contract, a scenario that gives the Toffees a window of opportunity — but not control of the process. There is no rush at Riverside: Boro admits taking him until the last year of his contract if a proposal that reflects his value does not come up.
The detail that animates Goodison Park is Hackney's own preference to move to Everton. Tottenham, Manchester United and Crystal Palace were also targeted for the player, but the Liverpool emblem appears to have gained emotional and sporting traction in the race.
David Moyes' interest makes sense: Everton have too often been a team shaped by toughness, energy rather than ingenuity. Hackney offers something else. A progressive midfielder, comfortable directing and releasing in the final third, he has made 41 appearances in 2023/24 for Middlesbrough, with six goals and eight assists. In total for Boro he recorded 154 appearances, 16 goals and 17 assists.
Still, Hackney doesn't solve everything. Not a direct replacement for Idrissa Gueye. If the Senegalese leaves at the end of his contract this month, Everton will continue to need a more physical and defensive midfielder. The duo with James Garner promises with the ball, but raises questions without it: Hackney performs more when he can roam and get forward, requiring a partner who guarantees balance and coverage. There is also uncertainty surrounding Tim Iroegbunam, the target of external interest, and the Toffees have also considered Shea Charles (Southampton), a sign of a wider midfield reconfiguration.
A product of the Middlesbrough academy, Hackney made his first-team debut in January 2021, spent time at Scunthorpe United on loan and definitively established himself following the arrival of Michael Carrick in October 2022. At 23 years old, he is neither a shot in the dark nor a finished product: he is a player ready for a bigger stage. Everton, under Moyes, can offer him just that — responsibility without the impossible spotlight of a Champions League colossus.
For fans, this is a sensible and ambitious-sounding target. Hackney would add technical courage to a midfield that lacks it. It remains to be seen whether Everton transforms the player's preference into an agreement with Middlesbrough.