[Oliver Walton
Oliver Walton](https://www.footballinsider247.com/author/oliver-walton)
Correspondent AUTHORITY Football journalist with experience at Reach PLC and PA Media; University of Central Lancashire graduate. FOCUS Fan-engagement content and match analysis across the Premier League and Championship. THE INSIGHT Oliver utilises a network of club and industry contacts to deliver verified reporting and fan-first content. He provides the human stories behind the results to ensure fans get the full picture as it happens.
They were closely linked with England youth international Hackney, who won the Championship Player of the Season award in May after a stunning season for Middlesbrough.
Boro's lofty asking price reportedly put the Magpies off signing the 24-year-old, but they still went on to invest in younger, less experienced midfielders after both Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes forced exits.
Hackney instead arrived at Everton in July for an initial £16million, which could prove to be one of the bargains of the campaign.
He put in a stellar performance for the Toffees against Newcastle in midweek and looks set to keep his place in the side for when Everton travel to the North East on Monday evening.
Hayden Hackney would have improved Newcastle's midfield but is now making them pay
Hackney registered 13 goal contributions in 41 games for Boro from central midfield last term as they ultimately fell short in the play-off final.
Newcastle scouted him extensively throughout the campaign and a June report from The Gazette claimed that Boro wanted around £25m for his services.
That fee proved to be a sticking point for Newcastle, with the Chronicle's latest report stating that their managerial uncertainty also put paid to a move, as Eddie Howe was having second thoughts about his job and ended up leaving.
Hackney went on to join Everton for a £24m package, and his best performance since signing came in midweek against former suitors Newcastle.
The 24-year-old bagged his first goal for the club after laying the ball on a plate for James Garner to open the scoring in the Toffees' 3-1 Carabao Cup win.
He also had 82 per cent pass accuracy, a 100 per cent dribble rate, won the third-most ground duels (6) and won more fouls than any Everton player (3).
Newcastle's midfielders are struggling to maintain consistency
Matthias Jaissle had no bearing on Newcastle's failure to sign Hackney, but did oversee the signing of Nico Gonzalez to offset the loss of their key midfielders.
Jaissle has only kept an unchanged midfield twice so far this season, and would surely have loved someone with the quality and potential of Hackney in his squad for this campaign.