Why Hayden Hackney owes Everton move to Middlesbrough figure who 'believed'

Hayden Hackney's journey from Middlesbrough to Everton stems from one sliding doors moment.

Everton's marquee signing of the summer transfer window so far, Hackney joins a Toffees midfield with serious EFL undertones to it.

James Garner, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Iliman Ndiaye, Harrison Armstrong, Tim Iroegbunam: all of these players have shone in England's second tier previously.

There's been arguably none better than Hackney in his position in the Championship for some time now, which was solidified by him being named the division's Player of the Season for 2025-26.

A boyhood Boro fan, Redcar-born Hackney didn't immediately burst onto the scene on Teesside.

But once he did eventually make his evolution to the first-team, he never looked back, but when he does so after sealing his move to Everton, there's one coach he will perhaps thank more than any other.

How interim Boro boss set Hayden Hackney on his way to stardom

Goodison News has been following the big expectations placed on Hackney since his transfer to Everton was confirmed, with many tipping him to shine at Premier League level.

It was only at the conclusion of the 2021-22 season, however, that a then-19-year-old Hackney was returning to Middlesbrough after suffering relegation to the National League whilst on loan with Scunthorpe United.

He played 28 times in League Two for the Iron that year, failing to score a single goal as well as providing just two assists.

As such, his name wasn't really on the lips of any Middlesbrough fans heading into their 2022-23 season as a player who could be a major breakthrough talent for them that term, but he was.

Hackney would play 36 times in the Championship for Boro that year, scoring three times and notching four assists, with Michael Carrick's October 2022 appointment helping take his game to a whole new level.

But, it wasn't the now-Manchester United boss who gave him his big Boro break that year, with that instead being ex-Middlesbrough goalkeeping coach - and now head of player pathway and development with them - Leo Percovich.

It was the Uruguayan who handed Hackney his first ever league start for Middlesbrough on 6 October 2022 by Percovich, who stepped up to the role of caretaker between Chris Wilder's sacking and Carrick's appointment.

Just three games later, he scored his first Boro goal in a 4-1 win against Wigan, and speaking to Teesside Live at the time, Percovich spoke of his pride in the young midfielder, and why he never doubted he'd eventually be a senior star for the Smoggies.

"For sure, he will remember this night (Wigan) forever, and I will remember it too because he started playing with me against Birmingham," Percovich said.

"From there, we tried to keep giving him the confidence, which was really important to show him that I believed in him. He’s from the club’s academy and he’s someone I have known for many years.

"I moved him up to the first team squad and I said to all the rest of the players that it was really important to make him feel confident and make him feel like he is one of us. That’s what it’s all about at this club."

So, it will be fascinating and very exciting to see how Hackney gets on at Premier League level with Everton, and Toffees fans need not worry about whether he can do it against top-flight opposition.

Hackney helped Boro give Chelsea a real scare

For players, especially young ones in a high-responsibility position such as central midfield, making the step up from Championship to Premier League level can take time.

That might be the case with Hackney at Everton, but he's already provided some strong evidence that he can hit the ground running against the very best teams in English football.

Rewind to 9 January 2024, and picture a chilly-yet-fiery winter evening under the lights at Middlesbrough's Riverside Stadium as Boro took on Chelsea in the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg.

Then under the management of Mauricio Pochettino, the Blues were of course heavy favourites to sweep the Smoggies aside and coast to a place in the League Cup final, but they were in for a rude awakening courtesy of Hackney.

With 37 minutes on the clock, Hackney displayed his box-crashing ability by making a deep run into the penalty area, before an Isaiah Jones cutback was met by Boro's number seven, who slotted home a left-footed finish past Djordje Petrovic to send the Riverside into raptures.

Middlesbrough held on to earn a famous cup semi-final win over Chelsea that night, only furthering Hackney's growing local hero status with the Boro faithful.

Unfortunately for them, Chelsea didn't fall for the same trap in the second leg, thumping Boro 6-1 at Stamford Bridge before going on to lose the final against Liverpool.

But that night on Teesside showed everyone that Hackney was not only a player for the big occasion, but put a bittersweet taste in the mouths of Middlesbrough fans who knew he was now clearly at home amongst the best.

Everton take on Chelsea in just the seventh game of the 2026-27 Premier League season too, and what a sight it would be to see him repeat history against the Blues at Hill Dickinson Stadium...