The 23-year-old has been outstanding for the Championship outfit, and he has been linked with multiple Premier League clubs. It appears that Everton is keen on securing his signature at the end of the season.
According to a report from TEAMtalk, they are leading the race to sign the player. They need more creativity and drive in the middle of the park, and Hackney would be an excellent addition.
Everton has put together an impressive team, and they are pushing for European qualification for the upcoming campaign. The addition of a creative central midfielder could add a new dimension to the team. They recently crashed to a 2-1 defeat against Liverpool in the Derby, and it was evident that they need a quality central midfielder who can create opportunities from the middle of the park. They were overly dependent on Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall for creativity. However, they need someone who can stitch the play together and set up transitions for the team from the middle of the park.
Hackney is a hard-working midfielder who will help create opportunities and score goals as well. He has recorded 14 goal contributions in all competitions this season. There is no doubt that he has the quality to step up to the Premier League and prove himself at the highest level.
The opportunity to join Everton could be exciting for him as well. If he manages to impress with them, he might be able to secure a bigger move in future. He is still a young player with a lot of potential, and regular Premier League football could help him improve further.
Middlesbrough values the player highly, and they will not want to lose him any time soon. However, they are unlikely to block a dream move to the Premier League for him. It remains to be seen whether Everton can make an acceptable offer for the player. Hackney is in the final year of his contract with the Championship outfit, and he is likely to be available for a reasonable fee.