Everton eye Hayden Hackney deal as Middlesbrough hierarchy await payday
Everton are keeping tabs on Hayden Hackney ahead of a summer move from Middlesbrough.
The Englishman is coming off the back of a hugely frustrating end to the season as Boro missed out on the Championship play-off final.
A controversial defeat against Southampton saw them miss out on a place at Wembley, as the latest Spygate scandal swirls around the second tier.
There is plenty of controversy surrounding the Saints, but for now, Kim Hellberg’s side are facing another year away from the Premier League.
That could be music to Everton’s ears as they continue to eye Hackney after a stellar individual campaign at The Riverside.
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Middlesbrough to land Hayden Hackney summer pay day
It has become a regular occurrence in recent years that the Championship Player of the Year won’t earn promotion in the same season.
The Boro midfielder has followed some star names in Gustavo Hamer, Crysencio Summerville and Chuba Akpom to win the award before missing out on the Premier League.
| Season | Championship Player of the Year | Promoted? |
| 2025/26 | Hayden Hackney (Middlesbrough) | No |
| 2024/25 | Gustavo Hamer (Sheffield United) | No |
| 2023/24 | Crysencio Summerville (Leeds United) | No |
| 2022/23 | Chuba Akpom (Middlesbrough) | No |
| 2021/22 | Aleksandar Mitrovic (Fulham) | Yes |
The 2026 winner has faced the same fate and now faces an uncertain future at The Riverside, as interest is only likely to increase in the coming weeks and months.
Former Everton scout Bryan King believes his old employers will be interested as Middlesbrough look to raise funds after a disappointing end to the campaign.
Speaking exclusively to Goodison News, King said: “I think he’d be a good signing and an interesting player to bring in.
“They’ve got a good chairman with Gibson at Middlesbrough, he’s a shrewd man. It’s a great chance for them to get a payday.
“Of course Hackney will be on the radar at Everton, he’s an Everton-type player that’s for sure.”
Hackney has been linked to Everton over the course of the campaign, and now could be the perfect time to strike.
How good could Hackney be for Everton?
The 23-year-old has already been a regular in the north east since 2022 after breaking through after a productive loan spell at Scunthorpe United.
That has served him well, and four years later, he has proven to be the best player in the entire Championship.
The Englishman contributed 12 goal involvements throughout the campaign, while creating 83 chances and taking 98 shots.
He doesn’t shirk his duties, going the other way, either, with 120 defensive actions and 186 duel wins that sum up his all-action nature.
With all that in his locker, Hackney could prove to be a perfect player for Everton if they can get a deal over the line in the summer.
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