Blockbuster £25m Hayden Hackney transfer development emerges involving Everton | OneFootball

The midfielder is closing in on a move to the Merseyside club.

There has been intense speculation around Hayden Hackney's Middlesbrough future since the club's Championship play-off final defeat, and now he is finally nearing the exit door.

Hackney was named Championship Player of the Season for his stellar displays over the campaign and has become Boro's talisman, having risen through the academy.

Everton and Crystal Palace both reportedly had bids rejected earlier in the summer as the Teesside outfit sought a fee in the region of £25million for the 24-year-old.

However, it seems that it is only a matter of time until the Toffees get their man as they start to make waves in the transfer market.

Everton closing in on £25m Hayden Hackney deal from Middlesbrough

It will come as no surprise that Hackney is closing in on a departure from the Riverside as he seeks to make a statement in the Premier League.

The midfielder has been progressing year-on-year at the Riverside Stadium, and the feeling has always been that if Middlesbrough failed to earn promotion, then it would only be a matter of time until he leaves.

With several clubs linked with Hackney, reports suggested that Everton was the club he truly desired, and now he is close to getting the move he wants.

The Telegraph's John Percy has reported that the Toffees are moving closer to signing the Englishman in a deal worth £25m, with a full agreement expected later this week.

Percy adds that Boro have rejected at least three offers for their captain, but negotiations are now reaching a conclusion.

Last season, the 24-year-old notched five goals and eight assists in the second tier, the best numbers of his career for an individual campaign, while his presence was sorely missed during a lengthy injury spell leading up to the play-offs.

Who could replace Hayden Hackney at Middlesbrough?

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Middlesbrough are closing in on Hull City's Kyle Joseph for £5m as they look to bolster their forward ranks, but the key bit of business the club must get right is their replacement for Hackney.

In the same report by Percy, he states that Leicester City midfielder Oliver Skipp is on their radar, but the Teessiders have been put off by the Foxes' £15m price tag.

Indeed, that does feel like a steep price for a player about to embark on a season in League One, while he has not exactly excelled since signing from Tottenham.

If Middlesbrough could negotiate a smaller fee, then a move for Skipp could be justified, and supporters would be hoping that he could recapture some of the form shown in his days in North London.

Of course, Leicester will know that Boro will have Hackney money to spend, and that is a significant factor that could stand against them in trying to replace their star player.