The latest transfer talk from Middlesbrough with a major development in Hayden Hackney’s future at the Riverside Stadium.
Middlesbrough talisman Hayden Hackney is reportedly close to joining Premier League club Everton after the Toffees were said to have ramped up their interest in the midfielder.
The Boro academy graduate’s future has been the subject of ongoing speculation over the last 12 months as he approached the final year of his current contract - and Middlesbrough’s failure to secure promotion into the Premier League has only added fuel to the fire. Hackney was strongly linked with a move to Nottingham Forest in the final days of the January transfer window and the Europa League semi-finalists were said to have been unsuccessful with an offer for the midfielder prior to deadline day. The likes of Crystal Palace, Manchester United and Newcastle United have also been linked with a move for Hackney in recent months after Boro head coach Kim Hellberg predicted the midfielder will become a Premier League player in the future.
Speaking in March after an impressive display against Queens Park Rangers, the Swede said: “He is getting better all the time. I think he gets better every day, and understands more and more about how we work, and the spaces for him. And then, of course, the quality he has is unbelievable to work with. The quality he has as a player is unbelievable. The way he drives with the ball, he's working on his finishing, and that we have seen with some brilliant finishes. He's a pleasure and such a great guy for us to work with. He's a top player. He has everything and he will end up in the Premier League someday, and hopefully with us. Top, top player.”
The Telegraph have reported the Toffees accelerated talks with Boro over the weekend and have now agreed a deal that could be worth £25m if certain add-ons are triggered over the course of Hackney’s time at the Hill Dickinson Stadium. Boro have already been linked with a move for Leicester City midfielder Oliver Skipp as a potential replacement for Hackney - although the Foxes are said to be demanding around £15m for the former Tottenham Hotspur man.
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