Everton sign Middlesbrough midfielder Hayden Hackney in £16m deal
Everton have completed the signing of midfielder Hayden Hackney from Middlesbrough on a five-year contract for a fee of at least £16m.
The 24-year-old departs the Riverside Stadium with a single year remaining on his deal, ending a long-term association with a club he first joined at under-10 level.
His departure follows an outstanding individual campaign where he was crowned the 2025-26 Championship player of the season.
However, the highly rated prospect ultimately suffered collective heartbreak in May when his former employers missed out on promotion following a narrow 1-0 play-off final defeat to Hull City.
Pull of Moyes and stadium vision
Securing the dynamic playmaker represents a significant piece of early business for Everton manager David Moyes as he looks to bolster his squad for the demanding Premier League campaign.
The upcoming transition into a brand-new stadium also served as a major attraction for the sought-after English talent.
“I’m delighted to be here,” Hackney revealed after putting pen to paper on Merseyside.
“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.”