The latest Everton FC Notebook from Joe Thomas, taking you behind the scenes at Hill Dickinson Stadium
Everton are finding it difficult to finalise a deal for Middlesbrough star Hayden Hackney
Everton are finding it difficult to finalise a deal for Middlesbrough star Hayden Hackney
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Middlesbrough’s position over Hayden Hackney remains unchanged with the club sticking to their guns over the Everton transfer target.
Everton’s pursuit of the 23-year-old led to the Championship Player of the Season favouring a move to Merseyside as the Blues put themselves in pole position for the England youth international.
But Boro - aware of interest from other Premier League outfits - are holding firm on the idea of keeping Hackney if their valuation is not met, as reported by our colleagues at Teeside Live.
While that may be the club's public position, it is one Middlesbrough could find increasingly tough to maintain as the summer goes on and represents a significant gamble given that could mean losing the 23-year-old on a free next summer.
Central midfield is an area Everton are keen to work on and the club does have other potential targets, though there remains a desire to pursue a deal for Hackney so long as the terms represent value.
Merlin Rohl names Leighton Baines friendship as key to settling in
The Blues' first piece of summer business was confirmed months ago, when the club’s Premier League status was guaranteed. That triggered the obligation to make Merlin Rohl's loan move from Freiburg permanent for a fee of around £18m.
The 24-year-old spoke at length about his first season at Everton with the club in an interview released this week, describing it as the “perfect” place for him to develop as a player.
One of the reasons he has settled in so well is his blossoming relationship with assistant manager Leighton Baines. The pair share a love of photography and their growing friendship has taken them out of Finch Farm, including to the stands of Goodison Park to watch Everton Women.
Zohran Mamdani knows the pain of Everton’s wait for success
New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani showed some mutual respect to Andy Burnham when speaking on the BBC.
Mamdani’s backing of Arsenal is well-known but he has also been celebrating this month after the New York Knicks ended their 53-year wait for an NBA Championship.
After discussing the skills required to go from a regional mayor, as Burnham was before launching his latest bid to become Prime Minister, Mamdani referenced his Everton backing as he said: “I wish him well, I don’t think he’s an Arsenal supporter though. [As an Everton supporter] At least you can respect that someone has suffered, you know? I like it when I meet someone who is a fan of a team that hasn’t just won and won and won.”
Three Blues regimes represented at Scotland v Brazil
David Moyes, like much of the footballing world, is out in the US for the World Cup right now. He was one of three different Everton regimes represented at Scotland’s match with Brazil on Tuesday, a game that was a feast of Blues links.
Moyes was in the stands and his Everton assistant Alan Irvine was in the Scotland dugout - along with former Blue Steven Naismith.
In the opposite dugout was another former manager, Carlo Ancelotti, supported by son Davide - who also assisted him at Everton and will visit Hill Dickinson Stadium with Lille at the end of the summer. Also helping Brazil was Paul Clement - who was the assistant manager to Frank Lampard during his stint at Goodison.
Everton to help boost apprenticeship offering
Everton plan to support local businesses that want to offer apprenticeships by providing financial support from the club’s apprenticeship levy. The money is used to offer apprenticeships within the club and to support the work of Everton in the Community and the People’s Learning Trust. Some funds will now be allocated to local employers that want to provide opportunities but are unable to cover the cost of training.
Alison Haynes, chief tax and sustainability officer at Everton, explained: “This is a great opportunity for local employers who want to provide employment and skills development opportunities but cannot afford the cost of training.
“This initiative is a fundamental part of our work to reduce inequalities and promote inclusion, with social mobility playing a key role. By supporting employers to invest in training, we can help more local people access sustainable employment while addressing skills needs across the region.
“We want to extend this initiative to more employers across the region who have exciting opportunities available and who share our values. We would encourage any employer interested in developing local talent and creating inclusive opportunities to get in touch and find out more.”
Details are available here.