Hayden Hackney has joined Everton from Middlesbrough
14:07, 02 Jul 2026
Hayden Hackney signs for Everton
Hayden Hackney signs for Everton
Hayden Hackney said David Moyes’ record of developing Championship signings into Premier League stars was a key factor behind his decision to join Everton this summer.
Hackney completed his transfer to Everton from Middlesbrough on Thursday after a deal worth up to £25 million. Boro have also inserted a future sell-on fee clause.
After Boro’s failure to win promotion last season, Hackney’s exit was almost inevitable this summer as he entered the final year of his contract at the Riverside.
But his next destination was not as certain, with a number of Premier League clubs expressing their interest. For Hackney, however, he says Moyes was a big factor in why Everton were always his preferred choice.
Hackney said: "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.”
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Moyes has a proven track record of helping players establish themselves in the Premier League after moves from the second tier. Joleon Lescott, Tim Cahill and Jarrod Bowen are just some prominent examples.
Hackney will hope to follow in their footsteps and prove his quality in the best division in the world. And to do so, he feels the move comes at the right time for him, both in terms of his career development and also the timing in the summer.
“I think there's plenty more to come from me,” he continued in his first interview as an Everton player. “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.
"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.
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“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."
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Middlesbrough are preparing for a big summer as they look to rebuild from the heartarche of missing out on promotion to the Premier League.
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