Hayden Hackney transfer fee truth revealed as Everton close in on Middlesbrough deal | OneFootball

The midfielder is edging closer to a move to the Toffees.

Middlesbrough supporters knew that Hayden Hackney would leave the club after their Championship play-off final defeat to Hull City.

It was always just a matter of when and whether a club would be willing to stump up the money that the Teessiders wanted for their talisman.

A host of Premier League clubs have been linked with the 24-year-old, but he has always preferred a move to Everton, where he will be under the stewardship of David Moyes.

There have been conflicting reports on how much the Toffees are actually paying for the central-midfielder, but the exact details of the transfer have now been revealed.

How much Everton will pay Middlesbrough for Hayden Hackney

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Hackney has risen through the ranks at Boro to become their prized asset and was named Championship Player of the Season after another exceptional year.

The 24-year-old enjoyed his best returns in front of goal for an individual season, scoring six and assisting eight times in all competitions, but he was unable to guide his club to the Premier League.

Of course, his lengthy injury spell came at a crucial time, and managerial changes also disrupted what was an encouraging campaign for the Teessiders.

Now, the finer details of his move to Everton have been revealed, with the Toffees set to pay an initial fee of £16.5million plus a further £5m on appearances and £3m linked to Champions League and England games, according to The Times.

It had been widely reported that Boro were holding out for £25m, and while they will not get that in one go, they could end up receiving what they desire in the long term.

How should Boro spend Hayden Hackney money?

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Middlesbrough are already closing in on the £5m signing of Kyle Joseph from Hull City as they look to bolster their forward line, an area that needs strengthening.

However, the obvious thing the Teesside club need to do is replace Hackney, and that is going to prove incredibly difficult.

Boro have been linked with a move for Leicester City midfielder Oliver Skipp, but the League One club are looking to get £15m, which seems like an extortionate fee for a player of his quality.

The 25-year-old did show glimpses at Tottenham in the Premier League, but he has failed to live up to the hype at the Foxes and needs to prove his ability.

Of course, there is plenty of time for Skipp to improve, but if he were signed as the man to replace Hackney, then that would not go down well among Boro supporters.

While Middlesbrough have the rest of the window to find a replacement for their star player, they may have to pay an inflated fee as clubs will know they have the funds.