Everton, despite some grumblings amongst sections of the fanbase, appear to be at least making an effort at being proactive this summer. With all the required parties involved in transfers now in place, it seems that targets have been identified, and variable progress is being made regarding filling the numerous gaps which persist in the squad. Merlin Röhl was the first to be signed, although curiously with little-to-no fanfare, being confirmed on a permanent basis on July 1st, but without any indication
regarding length of contract. It’s thought the German has cost around €25m, following a one-season loan from Bundesliga club Freiburg, which was – somewhat bizarrely – conditional on the Blues avoiding relegation; so, in other words, an obligation in all but name.
If the manner of that particular 24-year-old midfielder’s arrival has been shabbily handled, this stands in stark contrast to the ample publicity surrounding the club’s acquisition of the identically-aged Hayden Hackney, the pursuit of whom finally ended this week, with an agreement for the Toffees to purchase from Middlesbrough for an initial £16.5m, with add-ons taking the fee up to a theoretical £25m. With Hackney – the reigning Championship Player of the Season – having penned a five-year contract, let’s take a look at the player’s history, what he offers and how he might be used at Everton.
Forged in the North East
Born in Redcar, a seaside destination and post-industrial town characteristic of the region, on the coast not far from Middlesbrough, Hackney joined the Teesside club 15 years ago, progressing through the youth ranks until making his first team debut in January 2021, at the age of 18. A development loan to league two side Scunthorpe United in the 2021/22 season was tough, but productive terms of gaining much-needed senior experience, with him making 31 total appearances (21 starts), though he was unable to prevent the Yorkshire outfit suffering relegation from the EFL. Upon returning to his parent club, the youngster was overlooked by then manager Chris Wilder, but brought into the side by caretaker Leo Percovich – on the advice of the team’s academy chief – and retained by new boss Michael Carrick.
Rising Star
Carrick worked closely with the young midfielder on the training pitch, on his body positioning when receiving the ball, and in finding space with subtle movements. The extra focus paid off, and Hackney went on to start all but one game from late October en route to finishing runner-up to Bristol City’s Alex Scott (now impressing at Bournemouth) as Championship Young Player of the Year. He kicked on initially in the following season, earning a call-up for the England Under-21 team, and playing almost every minute for Boro until picking up a groin injury in November. A further injury, to his knee in February curtailed his involvement, resulting in him making just 28 appearances in all competitions.
Hackney rebounded strongly in the 2024/25 campaign, continuing the progress he’d been making prior to being hit with injury problems. Although Boro struggled to a ninth-placed finish, on a personal level it was a breakthrough season, which saw him start 43 league games, missing just two with a minor knock, and another through suspension. He wore the captain’s armband a number of times, at just 22, signalling his elevated importance to the team, and made it into Lee Carsley’s UEFA European Under-21 Championship winning side, although he only started one group game and did not feature in the final. The player had a bid from Porto rejected midway through the season, but Ipswich Town’s offer was accepted last summer, only for Hackney to turn down the move.
If he’d been considered to be one of the division’s best a year ago, last season represented another step up for the North East native. Under new boss Rob Edwards the club started the campaign strongly, with Hackney instrumental, but the former Luton Town man surprisingly elected to jump ship to Premier League strugglers Wolves after just 15 games, with Boro well-positioned in 2nd place. The 37-year-old Kim Hellberg replaced Edwards, and Hackney flourished within his fluid, possession-based attacking system until a calf injury in March. Shorn of their star man, Boro’s form crumbled, forcing them into the playoff route, which ended in disappointing defeat by Luton Town in the final, with Hackney only able to contribute 20 minutes from the bench. With that, his departure was inevitable.
Analysis
Although he’s typically listed as a defensive midfielder, Hackney is most definitely not the archetypal holding player, or deep-lying “number six” in modern parlance. At Boro he mostly played as one of two, paired with a ball-winner such as Aiden Morris, who would perform much of the dirty work, allowing him to move around looking to collect the ball, with an eye to orchestrating attacks and dictating play. Especially under Hellberg, who emphasises high-energy progressive football, this has resulted in a heat map which has become more advanced, with him operating further up, in line with Boro’s dominant possession share. A lot of Hackney’s touches last season were in what is usually termed the “half-spaces” to the left and – in particular – the right, areas which can cause a lot of problems for the opposition in picking up a player.
Watching him, it is apparent that he plays with his head up, scans frequently and this assists him in making quick decisions and finding pockets of space. He’s an aware, intelligent player, who – though still relatively young, having just turned 24 – has clearly gained much from 137 league games for Boro, on top of another 17 appearances in the domestic cup competitions. Whilst possessing plenty of scope to improve further, he is already operating at a level above the second tier and has all the tools to prosper in the top division, being well-equipped for the challenge.
Hackney’s strengths are manifold — the most obvious being an ability to surge forward with the ball, whilst keeping aware of passing options as he moves up the pitch.
There have been some concerns voiced that he lacks the ideal physical profile for a midfielder in the present era – not being tall and an elite athlete – but this is something of a fad in my opinion, an apparent truism which becomes coalesced in people’s minds as fact the more it’s reiterated. Hackney has demonstrated press-resistance, is committed in the tackle and is certainly quick enough for central midfield: all key aspects at any level of the game. He’s an energetic player who is always on the move, happy to track back and always looking to progress the ball. The former youth international is not going to be physically intimidated, or bullied out of the game, I feel certain.
Hackney covered more distance per 90 minutes than any of Everton’s midfield regulars last term, and made more sprints than all except James Garner, despite Boro enjoying far more possession than the Blues. He is comfortable on the ball, rarely gives it away carelessly and enjoys a strong range of passing, though he is not a “quarterback” type, sitting back and spraying long balls, but is very good at one-twos and interplay around the box — something which will be appreciated by more intelligent players. He doesn’t have a fantastic scoring record (5 league goals in each of the last two campaigns), but takes up clever positions and strikes the ball cleanly, so I wouldn’t be surprised if more goals are something he can add to his game as he continues to develop.
Evaluation
So where does the new man fit into the Everton side? I’ve been surprised to hear that many commenters on the club see him merely as a replacement for squad options who may leave this summer, such as Tim Iroegbunam or Carlos Alcaraz, rather than as a potential starter; I think this is a total misread of the player’s calibre. He pushed for an early move because he wanted to be installed for preseason, and I expect him to be fully integrated ahead of the new season. His attitude is first class: I can’t find anyone with anything vaguely negative to say about his character. He comes off as an understated, unflashy and hard-working sort who I am sure will bond well with his new teammates, be valued by David Moyes, and quickly develop into a fan favourite. Hackney knows Jarrad Branthwaite from England Under-21 duties, which should help him settle.
He gives it his all on the pitch, has a winner’s mentality and I believe that Blues fans will be pleasantly surprised by just how good a footballer he is. The Toffees appear to be about to replace Idrissa Gueye with a true defensive midfielder, which would suit Hackney well should there be a shift to a 4-3-3 formation. However, if paired with Garner in a midfield duo in the 4-2-3-1 that Moyes favours, he could also shine, with Everton’s breakout player last term tasked with much of the defensive work, allowing the new man to move forward in support, or driving Everton’s attacks. Although he’s played as a “number ten” on occasion, and plays well back to goal, he is better suited to a standard midfield role, which would highlight his ability to move forward with the ball.
I don’t see him as a liability out of possession, however. He is an all-action type, who will actively look for the ball, but as a genuine team player will also happily contribute in defense. Boro legend Bernie Slaven has heavily praised the departee, referring to him as “special”, with an “attitude and desire that is off the chart”, and that Everton have got “the deal of the century”, adding that he didn’t think people outside of Middlesbrough realize just how good he is, and will become. Possible hyperbole aside, I am in Bernie’s camp here, and expect that Hackney will, after an initial bedding-in period, have forced his way into the starting eleven within short order. I feel strongly that this opportunity represents a fantastic signing for the club, and definitely not just a squad addition, and am happy to stand by that assertion.
Statistics provided courtesy of transfermarkt.com, sofascore.com and scoutingstats.ai
