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Report: Everton leading the race to sign £30m-rated star

Everton Move for Hayden Hackney Could Signal Smart Summer Intent

Everton Lead Race for Middlesbrough Midfielder

Everton’s summer planning appears to have taken an intriguing turn, with Hayden Hackney emerging as a serious target and, according to information originally reported by The Athletic, Goodison Park now viewed as the midfielder’s personal preference.

That detail matters. Transfers are often framed as auctions, with clubs arranged in neat tiers according to wealth, prestige and recent league position. Yet players still make decisions based on pathway, rhythm and possibility. For Hackney, Everton may offer something that Tottenham, Manchester United, Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace cannot guarantee quite so easily, a clear role at the centre of a rebuilding side.

At 23, Hackney sits in that valuable space between promise and readiness. He has outgrown the Championship without yet carrying the price tag or ego of an established Premier League name. Middlesbrough, having narrowly missed promotion, are now expected to consider cashing in on their standout midfielder.

Hackney’s £30m Price Reflects Growing Reputation

Middlesbrough’s reported £30 million valuation is not modest, but nor is it outrageous in the current market. Central midfielders who can dictate tempo, progress possession and contribute in the final third are rare. English midfielders with those qualities are even rarer.

Hackney’s numbers explain part of the interest. Five goals and seven assists in 39 appearances marked him out as a midfielder capable of influencing games beyond simple control. His wider importance to Middlesbrough, though, came through his authority. He was described as their heartbeat, the deep lying presence around whom much of their football revolved.

That is why losing him would sting. Hackney was central to Middlesbrough’s road to the Championship play off final, even if injury disrupted his involvement in the semi finals. His late return from the bench in the 1-0 defeat to Hull City felt like a final glimpse of a player already edging toward a higher level.

Goodison Opportunity Could Suit Hackney

Everton have often been accused of reacting rather than planning. This would feel different. Hackney is young enough to develop, experienced enough to contribute immediately and technically secure enough to improve the side’s midfield balance.

Manchester United’s interest is understandable, particularly following Casemiro’s departure, but The Athletic’s reporting suggests Hackney is not currently at the very top of their shortlist. Tottenham’s admiration also makes sense, especially under Roberto De Zerbi, where midfield dynamism is essential.

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Yet Everton’s advantage may be emotional and practical. Hackney would not be a squad ornament. He would arrive with responsibility, visibility and room to grow. For a club seeking identity as much as improvement, that could be powerful.

Smart Recruitment Can Reshape Everton’s Summer

Everton supporters have seen enough false dawns to treat any transfer optimism carefully. Still, this would be a signing with logic. It would strengthen a key area, reduce reliance on short term fixes and give the team a midfielder entering his prime years.

If Everton can complete the deal, beating clubs with bigger recent profiles would represent more than a recruitment win. It would suggest a club beginning to understand the type of player it needs, and the type of opportunity it can still offer.

Our View – EPL Index Analysis

From an Everton supporter’s perspective, this report is exactly the kind of transfer story that creates cautious excitement. Not wild celebration, because we have learned that lesson too often, but genuine interest. Hackney feels like the sort of player Everton should have been targeting for years.

There is a freshness to it. He is not an ageing name arriving on expensive wages with something to prove and even more to protect. He is 23, hungry, technically capable and used to carrying responsibility. That matters at Goodison. Everton fans respond to players who take ownership of the ball and the occasion.

The £30 million figure will divide opinion, naturally. It is a lot for a player coming from the Championship. Yet the market rarely rewards hesitation. If Tottenham, Manchester United, Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace are all watching, then Everton moving decisively would show ambition rather than recklessness.

The key question is role. If Hackney comes in as a central piece, someone trusted to build attacks and set the tempo, this could be an excellent fit. Everton need more control in midfield and more personality in possession.

For once, this feels less like chasing a name and more like identifying a need. That alone makes it worth taking seriously.

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