Everton eyeing move for Hayden Hackney this summer | OneFootball

Everton remain interested in signing Middlesbrough midfielder Hayden Hackney this summer, according to Sky Sports. He is a long-term target for the Toffees.

Everton are seeking reinforcements across the roster following poor pre-season results and a 1-0 loss to Leeds United in Premier League matchday 1.

Hackney would be a massive coup for the Toffees if they could land the 22-year-old. The Everton target was one of the Championship’s standout performers last season.

He played a central role in Boro’s push for promotion and can help Everton as the club bids to finish in the upper echelon of the Premier League.

No player in the Championship was involved in more open-play attacking sequences that ended with a shot (273).

Hackney personally initiated 49 of those moves, just four shy of league leader Jason Knight of Bristol City.

Although his return of five goals and three assists may appear modest to Everton fans, it only tells part of the story.

Operating as a deep-lying midfielder, Hackney excelled at the less glamorous but equally decisive aspects of chance creation.

He topped the Championship charts for secondary key passes – the pass before the final pass – with 66, underlining his influence in Middlesbrough’s build-up play.

His ball progression statistics further emphasise his value.

Hackney advanced the ball upfield more than any other central midfielder in the league, covering 4,347 metres. He will be a massive weapon for the Merseyside outfit.

His blend of vision, energy, and composure in possession has attracted attention from several Premier League clubs, but Everton remain among the most persistent suitors.

A Middlesbrough academy graduate, Hackney developed into a key figure under Michael Carrick, one of the more underrated midfielders in Premier League history.

Often described as Carrick’s on-field embodiment, the former Manchester United star described Hackney as ‘everything you could ever hope for in a player’.

Whether Everton can tempt Boro into selling remains to be seen.

Still, Hackney’s profile suggests he could provide precisely the midfield stability and creativity David Moyes’ side are desperate to add.