Crystal Palace are preparing a bid close to £20million for Middlesbrough midfielder Hayden Hackney, setting up a sharper fight for the 23-year-old as Everton increases its offer to £15million. Hackney has one year left on his Riverside deal, while Palace weigh
The Middlesbrough midfielder Hayden Hackney is no longer just a name on a shortlist. He’s become the centre of a live, escalating transfer race, with Crystal Palace readying an approach that could force Everton to move again.
Palace are expected to come to the table with a package close to £20million for the 23-year-old, though it falls short of Middlesbrough’s £25m valuation. The numbers matter here because Hackney’s contract situation does too: he has just one year left on his deal at the Riverside.
Everton, who were already pushing to land him, made their first move with a £12m proposal last week. That was followed by an increase to a £15m package on Monday. with the club aiming to close the gap before Palace can. Hull City, newly promoted, also hold an interest in Hackney, but it is not expected to develop further.
Even with the money moving, the heart of the story is still about what might sway Hackney personally. Everton are understood to be his first choice. but the South London pull could sharpen once Palace factor in European football and the uncertain futures of Daichi Kamada and Adam Wharton at the club.
Hackney’s value isn’t just a transfer fee figure. He has already shown big moments on big stages. Last summer, he helped England win the Under-21 European Championship, providing the assist for the winning goal in the semi-final against the Netherlands.
This season at Middlesbrough, he played a central role in the club’s run to the Championship play-off final. He made 41 appearances, and Boro ultimately lost the final to Hull City—another detail that makes this chase feel even more connected to what happens next.
Hackney’s trajectory has been noticed for years. He was nominated for Championship Young Player of the Season in 2022-23, but the award went to Alex Scott.
The sequence is now clear: Middlesbrough’s £25m valuation sets the ceiling, Palace’s near-£20m bid puts pressure on everyone else, and Everton’s £15m update suggests they’re trying to keep pace before Hackney’s final year turns into a ticking clock.
Hayden Hackney Middlesbrough Crystal Palace Everton Hull City transfer race Championship play-offs Daichi Kamada Adam Wharton England Under-21