Everton have made their first signing of the summer with the capture of Middlesbrough’s Hayden Hackney.
The 24-year-old Teesside native has joined for a reported fee of around £16m.
A central midfielder, Hackney won the Championship Player of the Year in 2025/26 and courted attention from a few clubs until the Toffees secured his signature.
He scored five goals and set up a further seven in 38 Championship starts last season.
Hackney has also made 13 appearances for the England under-21 side, scoring once.
“It feels like a good fit for me, for sure. I think it’s a given that you work hard, you run, you make tackles. I’ll be doing that.
“I think fans can expect a bit of everything from me – attacking and defensively. I think I can carry the ball well, arrive late in the box, and hopefully score some goals. I think there’s plenty more to come from me. Obviously, I haven’t played in the Premier League yet, so once I get used to that I think I can kick on from there.” – Hayden Hackney
We’ll have more on Hackney in a Scout Report to come.
