Overview
- Everton completed the transfer on Thursday, July 2, with 24-year-old Hayden Hackney signing a five-year contract running to 2031.
- Reports say the package includes an initial fee in the mid-£16m range with add-ons taking the total toward about £24–25m and roughly £17m paid up front to Middlesbrough.
- Middlesbrough negotiated a future sell-on clause to protect upside because Hackney had one year left on his contract and the clubs had earlier disagreed over valuation.
- Hackney cited David Moyes’s record of developing Championship players and wanted the move done before pre-season so he could join Everton on day one.
- The sale gives Middlesbrough funds to rebuild after their failed promotion bid while Everton add a Championship Player of the Year as their first major summer signing.