Everton sign Championship Player of the Season Hayden Hackney in £16.5m deal

Everton have signed Middlesbrough midfielder Hayden Hackney on a five-year contract, with the deal reported to be worth approximately £16.5 million plus add-ons, the Premier League club confirmed on Thursday.

The 24-year-old becomes David Moyes’ first signing of the summer window after a standout 2025-26 campaign at Middlesbrough, where he captained the side and made 41 appearances across all competitions. His performances earned him the Championship Player of the Season award.

Hackney cited Moyes’ track record of developing Championship players at the top level as a key factor in his decision. “The manager’s track record of bringing players from the Championship to the Premier League was a massive part of my decision as well,” he said in a club statement. “Hopefully I can be the next one to do it successfully for Everton.”

Middlesbrough narrowly missed out on promotion last season, losing to Hull City in the Championship play-off final at Wembley in May, meaning Hackney departs without having reached the top flight with his former club.

Everton will hope the midfielder can add quality and consistency to a squad that underperformed in the second half of last season. The Toffees were in European contention for much of the 2025-26 campaign but faded badly, finishing 13th. They also made early exits from both domestic cup competitions and have not won a major trophy since the 1995 FA Cup.

Moyes’ side begin pre-season with a match against Dundee on 18 July, with further friendlies scheduled against Bolton, Stoke City, and Newcastle. Their Premier League campaign opens at home to Crystal Palace, with fixtures against Manchester United and Tottenham also among their first four league games.