Everton need to get their act together after £20m Hayden Hackney latest

Everton may not be leading the race to sign Hayden Hackney anymore.

The Blues had stolen a march on their rivals for his signature, making the first approach to Middlesbrough.

A report from the Daily Mail on 8 June claims that the Blues have submitted two offers.

They are understood to be around the £12million and £15m marks, and have both been turned down by the Championship club.

The Hill Dickinson Stadium side need to get their act together as rivals start to receive encouragement over hijacking a possible deal.

The Toffees' ambitions look set to be tested, and they can't lose out.

Who are set to rival Everton for Hackney?

Crystal Palace are expected to be lining up a £20m bid for Hackney, which will put the Toffees under pressure.

The Daily Mail states that is still short of the Teeside clubs valuation of £25m that they want for the 23-year-old.

It is understood that the L3 outfit are still the midfielder's first choice, but the chance to play in Europe and the gaps in Palace's squad could tempt him.

Why Everton need to buck their ideas up

The Friedkin Group need to show they are serious this summer, and have the kind of ambition that they promised when they took over.

If the Championship Player of the Season is their number one target for the engine room, they need to offer the amount that Boro want and sort a deal out.

If he is the man that David Moyes thinks will improve the side, they need to act fast, before the likes of Palace and other interest parties can get themselves back in the race.

The last thing that they need is a long dragged out saga, where they potentially miss out on a top target, and have to find an alternative.

The Merseysiders should just bid what Kim Hellberg's side want, and agree personal terms with Hackney, and get him through the door as their first signing of the summer.

If they fail to do so, and he stars in the top-flight with somebody else, it will leave the ownership and the recruitment team with significant regret.

It should be an interesting few weeks, and a real test of whether the Friedkins are serious.