Everton have made their first move in the transfer market with a deal for Middlesbrough midfielder Hayden Hackney on a five-year contract through to 2031.
The 24-year-old arrives for an undisclosed fee, though numerous reports suggest he will cost an initial £16m, with various add-ons potentially lifting it up to around £25m.
“I’m delighted to be here. As soon as I spoke to the manager, as soon as I knew Everton were interested, to be honest, it was always going to be Everton. It’s such a big club,
with the new stadium and the direction it’s going in. I just wanted to be part of that,” said Hackney.
“The manager’s track record of bringing players from the Championship to the Premier League was a massive part of my decision as well. Hopefully I can be the next one to do it successfully for Everton.
“It feels like a good fit for me, for sure. I think it’s a given that you work hard, you run, you make tackles. I’ll be doing that.”
Hackney was born in Redcar, near Middlesbrough, and is a product of the club’s academy. He established himself in the first team over the past two seasons, making 81 appearances, and developed into one of the Championship’s best midfielders.
He was named Championship Player of the Year last season as Boro reached the play-offs, though that ended in heartbreak with a defeat to Hull at Wembley in the play-off final.
Hackney wanted to play in the top flight with his hometown club, but with one year left on his deal the time was right for him to make the step up with another side.
The central midfielder is known for his ability to drive the team forward, linking the defence and attack, and playing forward passes. He is versatile player who has been deployed in a deep role and also as a number eight, though he is likely to be played alongside a more conventional defensive midfielder at Hill Dickinson Stadium.
No player completed more final third passes in the Championship than Hackney’s 637 last season. He was also ranked top for ball recoveries (182) and made the third-most ball recoveries.
“I think fans can expect a bit of everything from me – attacking and defensively,” Hackney added. “I think I can carry the ball well, arrive late in the box, and hopefully score some goals. I think there’s plenty more to come from me. Obviously, I haven’t played in the Premier League yet, so once I get used to that I think I can kick on from there.“
Hackney feels like a very typical David Moyes signing given his track record for developing players from the Championship.
At 24 he is not exactly a youngster, though he is the same age Tim Cahill was when he joined the Toffees in 2004. And like the Aussie, he certainly seems ready to test himself at a higher level.
“Hayden is a promising young player who we’ve been tracking for some time, and I’m looking forward to working with him,” said Moyes.
“We’ve had a track record over the years of identifying players in the Championship who have gone on to do really well for us and been good investments. We hope that will be the case with Hayden, too.”
