Bryan Robson thinks Everton have struck a good deal for midfielder Hayden Hackney
Hayden Hackney during the Everton pre-season training trip to Scotland on July 13, 2026
Hayden Hackney during the Everton pre-season training trip to Scotland on July 13, 2026(Image: Tony McArdle/Everton FC/SmartFrame)
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Bryan Robson believes Everton ‘struck gold’ with Hayden Hackney and that Manchester United should have fought to take him to Old Trafford.
Anticipation is growing for the 24-year-old’s first appearance for his new club after the summer signing was left out of the squad for the pre-season win over Dundee. Everton said the midfielder was absent because he was still being integrated into the set-up following the club’s first week of training.
For Robson, a Man Utd great who played for and managed Hackney’s former club Middlesbrough, the Red Devils missed a trick by not seeking to reunite him with Michael Carrick.
The 69–year-old said: “I think when you’ve got a player with that sort of ability available for £25m, maybe he could have done a really good job at United for that sort of money.
“They need to build a squad capable of playing in the Premier League and the Champions League every week.
“Hackney would have been a decent buy for United because he’s got a great attitude, very good ability, he knows Michael Carrick [the current Man Utd boss, who managed him at Middlesbrough] and what he wants, and he’s another one like Bryan Mbuemo or Matheus Cunha to come in and add to the squad.”
The Blues made their pursuit of Hackney a priority and agreed an initial £16.5m deal for the Championship Player of the Sear after weeks-long negotiations with Middlesbrough.
The fee could reach close to £25m depending on whether various clauses are met.
And the deal is a coup for Everton, according to Robson. He told betting website Hajpur: “Hackney is a really good signing by Everton. I think he’s been Middlesbrough’s best player. I’ve watched quite a bit of Boro and every time I watched them he was nearly always the best player on the park.
“Everton have done a good bit of business there. I think David Moyes and Everton have struck a really gold deal to get him.”