Update offered on Hayden Hackney saga with Everton ready to improve bid | OneFootball

(Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)

Everton saw two offers for Middlesbrough midfielder Hayden Hackney rejected earlier this summer, with public progress on a potential deal almost non-existent in recent weeks.

Hackney, we were told, wanted Everton despite interest from Premier League rivals, though the Toffees have been unable to close a deal. Everton's offers are believed to have been around £12M and £15M for the 24-year-old, who was named as the Championship's Player of the Season for 2025-26.

He scored 5 league goals and added 7 assists, while leading all Championship midfielders for progressive carries.

Middlesbrough's poor run-in coincided with Hackney's absence through injury, as the North East side fell out of automatic promotion contention, before losing the play-off final to Hull City. The club are now reluctantly ready to sanction the academy product's sale, with Hackney having only 12 months to run on his current contract.

Boro are understood to be holding out for a fee in excess of £20M, with Crystal Palace also pursuing the player. Journalist Alan Nixon has now provided an update on the summer saga, and it appears a positive one for Evertonians.

Nixon claims Everton are ready to 'go close' to a £20M fee in a bid to get a deal done, a figure Palace are not prepared to match.

However, the Eagles are instead ready to offer 21-year-old midfielder David Ozoh as a sweetener in any deal. Ozoh has spent the last two seasons on loan in the Championship at Derby County, where he has made 47 appearances.

Reader Comments (16)

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Andrew Ellams 3 Posted 26/06/2026 at 12:37:14

I think we'll get him and he's a good player but it will be a waste if we don't improve what's around him

Malcolm Kitchen 4 Posted 26/06/2026 at 14:05:46

He is quality Andrew, Boro looked nailed on for Automatic promotion then Hackney got injured and their form suffered. Just made it into the play offs then Saints beat them but messed up with spygate, then lost the Final. He was the Championship player of the year! If we get Jack I'd play him at 10, can do his magic there! I'd go back to Chelsea and get George & play him left and Ndiaye right! KDH & Hackney cen mid, Jimmy Def mid, Gana as back up!

Iain Johnston 6 Posted 26/06/2026 at 14:27:39

For me, nothing will happen until after 1 July.

The Club want to shift Iroegbunam for close to £20M and his value will be amortised down to £3M on that date. This increases our profit margin and will offset a deal for Hackney.

Let's not forget that we're already committed to buy Rohl for £20M too.

Ray Said 7 Posted 26/06/2026 at 14:34:02

A good player (and likely to get better) in a vital position who could allow Garner to break forward a bit more where he can show his creativity more.

He could be a very good and long-term replacement for Gueye and, in the current market, it seems a very 'doable' price. This is exactly the type of deal we should be very focussed on concluding early.

Martin Berry 8 Posted 26/06/2026 at 15:30:26

An absolute bargain.

Player of the season in the Championship, something that should not be sniffed at.

A player at the right age and no doubt keen to prove himself at the highest level, get it done!

Bobby Mallon 10 Posted 26/06/2026 at 19:24:01

Fans need to fuck Everton off. Don't buy anything at the store, we are cheap bastards who always scrimp.

And whilst I'm on one, where the fuck is Moyes the ginger prick. He fucking needs to be here buying the right-back we need, the striker we need, and a new centre-back.

Bobby,

I think you've got the wrong end of a shitty stick there. If you want to see Everton spending more money to buy better players and give you more to get behind...

Well, how can I put this delicately?

Perhaps you should consider more ways in which you can support the club, buy the merch, do the stadium tour... because only with higher commercial income will we be able to move up the net spend table.

You know it makes sense.

Kevin Molloy 13 Posted 26/06/2026 at 20:57:03

Relax, the recruitment team are world class.

Ian Horan 14 Posted 26/06/2026 at 21:45:33

The only thing the recruitment team need to source for Moyes is a taxi!!!

Disheartened, disconnected, and disillusioned from Wirral.

James Flynn 15 Posted 26/06/2026 at 23:09:11

So, negotiations are moving along.

Josh Horne 16 Posted 27/06/2026 at 10:39:19

Is he any good at right back? I guess we will find out soon enough.