Everton have made moves to beat Manchester United, Crystal Palace and Tottenham to the signature of Hayden Hackney.
According to David Ornstein, Everton are keen on acquiring the services of Hayden Hackney and have opened talks with Middlesbrough to sign him. The Boro are open to his departure with just a year left on his deal, but will only sanction his sale on their terms.
The Toffees are pushing hard to secure his services as they look to beat Manchester United, Crystal Palace and Tottenham to his signature. The player seems keen on making the move to the Merseyside club, but other top clubs could complicate matters.
Hackney has come up the ranks at Middlesbrough and has been a part of their first team since the summer of 2022. The 23-year-old defensive midfielder was one of their standout performers in the 2025/26 season, as they finished 5th in the Championship and featured in the promotion play-off final.
However, the club lost 1-0 to Hull City in the most important game and ended up missing out on a promotion to the top flight. Failure to make the jump has put them in a difficult position. They will now struggle to keep hold of their star players, and Hackney is one of them.
With his contract running out in 2027, the Boro don’t really have too many options to play. They are ready to listen to offers, but won’t sell him unless their demands are met. They are willing to risk losing him for free if needed.
Premier League giants to battle for Hackney
Manchester United, Tottenham, Crystal Palace and Everton are all after him. The Red Devils are looking at him as a potential replacement for Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte. With the club expected to sign multiple midfielders, the 23-year-old could be one of them.
With Adam Wharton’s future uncertain, the Eagles are also keeping a close eye on him. Their track record of developing young players could make them a tempting option. As far as Tottenham are concerned, they are trying to sign Joao Palhinha on a permanent basis, but if they fail to do so, they could look at Hackney.
The Toffees are looking to beat all three clubs to his signature. They are already in talks with the club and the player is also open to the switch. With Idrissa Gueye in the final phase of his career and his long-term future uncertain, investing on Hackney would certainly make a lot of sense.