£20m Hayden Hackney claim made as Everton push to seal Middlesbrough deal | OneFootball

Everton are leading the race to sign Middlesbrough's Hayden Hackney, with the Championship club told to demand £20m for their star man.

Middlesbrough’s failure to win promotion was always going to have a big impact on their summer transfer plans.

The manner of the 1-0 defeat to Hull City will have frustrated all at Boro, and it obviously came after ‘Spygate’, which brought a lot of attention to the club as they took Southampton’s place in the final following their expulsion.

Now the dust has settled on that somewhat, Kim Hellberg and the recruitment team will be looking ahead to next season, and the Swede will be optimistic about what he can do after a full pre-season with the group, as well as bringing in some of his own signings.

Everton emerging as frontrunners in race to sign Hayden Hackney

However, Boro will also have to move players on, and the standout individual at the Riverside Stadium, Hayden Hackney, looks certain to leave.

The midfielder was superb for Boro last season, with his performances earning him the Championship Player of the Year award.

With Hackney’s deal expiring in 2027, combined with his form, it’s no surprise that several clubs are tracking the 23-year-old, and reports have claimed that Everton are leading the race for his signature.

Hackney’s contract situation means potential buyers may see this as a chance to pick up a bargain, but Boro will hope that the level of interest in the academy graduate can drive the price.

And, when asked by FLW what sort of fee Hackney should command, Middlesbrough fan pundit Liam Day made it clear that Everton, or anyone else, must be spending at least £20m on their star man.

“I feel like you’ve got to get £20m for him realistically. I know he has only got a year left on his contract, but the quality of player he is, and what he brings to the team all-round, you’ve got to get £20m.

“You see people mention £15m, but I don’t think that’s enough. If the worst comes to the worst, he could stay with us for another season and potentially get us promoted - you never know!

“So, you’ve got to push as hard as you can, and I know that we definitely will, as we’re usually quite good sellers.

“With how important this summer is going to be, you’ve got to get as much money as possible. With the Morgan Rogers sell-on clause, that would be nice, but you’ve got to get a minimum of £20m for Hackney, and maybe push it up.”

Middlesbrough must stand firm on Hayden Hackney valuation

Obviously, the contract issue is the big problem here, as the Boro hierarchy will not want to risk letting Hackney run down his deal.

Despite that, Boro must stand firm and get a big fee for Hackney, as he is an exceptional player at this level, and he is more than capable of making the step up to the Premier League.

In today’s game, most would agree that £20m is a bargain for a player with Hackney’s ability, and that should be the minimum that the Teesside outfit demand. If Everton don’t meet those demands, it would be a huge shock if no other club did before the deadline.

Of course, the timing could be important, as Boro may need Hackney’s sale to fund their incomings, so they won’t want it to drag out.

But, Hackney’s exit does feel inevitable, and it did the moment the final whistle blew at Wembley, as he is too good to be playing in the Championship.

The majority of Middlesbrough fans will accept that, and, as outlined above, it’s now a case of getting the best price possible, and giving Hellberg the support he needs to reshape the squad ahead of his first full campaign in charge of the club, where promotion will be the aim.