Everton have completed the signing of Hayden Hackney from Middlesbrough for an undisclosed fee, with the midfielder becoming David Moyes‘ first acquisition of the 2026 summer transfer window.
The 24-year-old central midfielder has put pen to paper on a five-year deal at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, committing his future to the Blues until the end of June 2031.
From Boro Captain to Blue
Hackney arrives on Merseyside with a serious pedigree. A product of the academy at his hometown club, he rose through the ranks at Middlesbrough before establishing himself as the heartbeat of the side, captaining Boro during a standout 2025/26 campaign that saw him crowned Championship Player of the Season.
With a host of clubs circling, it was Everton who won the race for his signature – and Hackney made it clear the decision wasn’t a difficult one.
“I’m delighted to be here. 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.
“The manager’s track record of bringing players from the Championship to the Premier League was a massive part of my decision as well. Hopefully I can be the next one to do it successfully for Everton.
“It feels like a good fit for me, for sure. I think it’s a given that you work hard, you run, you make tackles. I’ll be doing that.
“I think fans can expect a bit of everything from me – attacking and defensively. I think I can carry the ball well, arrive late in the box, and hopefully score some goals. I think there’s plenty more to come from me. Obviously, I haven’t played in the Premier League yet, so once I get used to that I think I can kick on from there.”
In for Day One of Pre-Season
Getting the deal over the line early was a priority for the midfielder, who will report for the first day of pre-season alongside his new teammates.
“It was big for me to get it done before the start of pre-season. I wanted to be here on day one and do the whole pre-season with the lads. I can’t wait for it. It helps with everything. Obviously, it’s a new set of lads who I’ll get used to and then also living down here. I’m delighted.”
An England Under-21 European Champion
Born in Redcar, Hackney is eligible to represent both England and Scotland through his Edinburgh-born mother, and twice turned out for the Scots at Under-21 level before switching allegiance.
He went on to make 13 appearances for England Under-21s, scoring once, and was part of the Young Lions squad that lifted the UEFA European Under-21 Championship in 2025.
The midfielder believes the move has come at exactly the right point in his career.
“It feels like signing for Everton is ideal timing. I feel that last season really developed me more as a player in all aspects of my game.
“Obviously, I thank Middlesbrough for the time that I was there, which was unbelievable, but now I feel ready and feel it’s time to make the change and I’m really looking forward to it.
“There are some unbelievable players here and the competition is going to be tough but I’m ready to get going and to compete.”
Moyes: “A Promising Young Player”
The Everton boss, whose eye for Championship talent has served the club well down the years, was quick to explain why Hackney fits the bill.
“Hayden is a promising young player who we’ve been tracking for some time, and I’m looking forward to working with him.
“We’ve had a track record over the years of identifying players in the Championship who have gone on to do really well for us and been good investments. We hope that will be the case with Hayden, too.
“He’s an England Under-21 international who will provide greater competition in midfield, which is something I wanted going into the new season.”
With pre-season on the horizon and the new campaign fast approaching, Blues will be eager to see whether Hackney can follow the well-trodden path of Moyes signings who made the step up from the Championship look easy. On the evidence of last season, there’s every reason for optimism.