Hayden Hackney is undergoing his Everton medical today, closing in on a move the Toffees have chased for most of the summer.
Everton have agreed a £25m package with Middlesbrough, reported by ESPN to be around £17m up front rising to the full fee through add-ons. Personal terms were already in place, with Hackney turning down interest from Crystal Palace and other Premier League clubs to move to Merseyside.
David Moyes made Hackney a priority early in the window. Boro rejected three previous offers before Everton’s improved bid got the deal moving, having already turned down a similar-sized offer from Ipswich for the midfielder twelve months ago.
Hackney was named Championship Player of the Year last season after helping Middlesbrough reach the play-off final, where they lost to Hull City. He has made 154 appearances for his boyhood club, scoring 16 goals and registering 17 assists, and was part of England’s Under-21 European Championship-winning squad in 2025.
Everton could confirm the signing as early as this week.
The Toffees are also working to finalise a permanent deal for Chelsea winger Tyrique George, with talks between the two clubs expected to conclude by the end of the week — meaning Moyes could add both a midfielder and a winger to his squad before the weekend.