Everton are leading the race to sign highly rated England U21 international midfielder Hayden Hackney from Middlesbrough this summer, according to David Ornstein.
Hackney’s senior debut came in Middlesbrough’s FA Cup third-round clash against Brentford back in January 2021. Since then, he has grown into one of the standout performers in the Championship over the last two seasons.
Playing mainly as a central midfielder, he has remained an essential presence first under Michael Carrick, who departed the role a year ago, and more recently under newly appointed Swedish coach Kim Hellberg.
His consistent performances were rewarded with the Championship Player of the Season award, having contributed 14 goal involvements across 41 appearances for the North Yorkshire side.
There were strong expectations of Premier League promotion for Middlesbrough, but those ambitions were ultimately ended by a play-off final defeat, when an Oli McBurnie header deep into stoppage time handed Hull City a 1-0 victory.
With the club now facing another season outside the top flight, speculation surrounding Hackney’s future has gathered real momentum, and several Premier League sides are set to battle for his signature.
Among the clubs showing interest in Hackney, David Ornstein reveals that Everton are leading the race to sign the Englishman this summer.
However, the Toffees face a battle from Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United, and Crystal Palace, who have all shown interest in the exciting midfielder, the transfer expert adds.
Hackney to Everton
Despite those interests, Ornstein, writing for The Athletic, reports that Hackney prefers a move to Everton and is expected to leave Middlesbrough this summer.
While talks have not taken place, he adds that the Merseyside club remain ‘in pole position’ to complete the transfer of the England U21 international ahead of other interested Premier League clubs.
It comes as little surprise that Everton have turned their attention toward Hackney, given the clear need to strengthen their midfield depth to compete for European qualification after missing out last season.
Bringing him in would inject freshness and dynamism into their engine room, offering progressive ball-carrying, creative output from deeper positions, and the kind of box-to-box presence that keeps him involved at both ends of the pitch, as reflected by his 14 goal contributions across all competitions this season.
With a year left on his contract at the Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough are not expected to demand a steep fee, and Everton will hope to secure a deal slightly above his £27m Transfermarkt valuation.
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