How Everton plan to sign their own Elliot Anderson

The road goes on and on for Everton, who need to dig deep this summer and make some signings of real quality to bridge the gap on those at the front-end of the Premier League pack.

Picture this: It’s the later stage of March, and Everton have just beat Chelsea 3-0 at the Hill Dickinson to move into eighth, only three points behind fifth-place Liverpool, holding onto the final Champions League-qualifying spot.

There were seven top-flight fixtures still to play, but David Moyes‘ side failed to win any of them, ending up with a 13th-place finish and a sour taste. There was so much promise, unrealised.

A few well-worked signings could go a long way, but the Merseysiders need to start making progress, with holes in defence and midfield and attack.

Everton set to announce major signing this week

Everton are determined to add attacking quality to their ranks this summer, and a sure-fire way to start off on the front foot would be to bringh Jack Grealish back to the Hill Dickinson.

Last year’s loanee is back at Manchester City, and while Everton are not prepared to meet City’s £50m asking price, there is hope that he can reunite with Moyes after such a happy spell on Merseyside.

Everton have a range of responsibilities to take care of. And while adding forwards remains on the agenda, the Toffees also need one or two new midfielders to reinforce Moyes’ system, and there is one man above all others at the top of the shortlist.

In fact, he might even be on his way to Everton right now.

As per The Times’ Paul Joyce, Everton have agreed an initial £16.5m deal with Middlesbrough for Hayden Hackney, with potentially £8m more in add-ons for the 23-year-old midfielder.

Hackney was crowned the Championship Player of the Season for 2025/26 after a sensational season on Wearside, and while a thick pack of Premier League clubs have been interested in signing him, Everton quickly emerged as his preference.

The issue has been protracted negotiations between the two outfits, but with a deal now agreed, personal terms are not expected to be an issue, and Everton could finally get their hands on one of the most exciting midfield prospects in the country.

Why Hackney can be Everton’s own Elliot Anderson

Hackney is something of a “pure passer“, as has been noted by analyst Raj Chohan, and the dynamism and passing lanes that he would open up in Moyes’ Everton midfield could bear dividends.

Everton are an industrious and steely team, but they maybe lack someone who can control the flow of traffic in the centre of the park, and Hackney would give them that new dimension.

Given Hackney’s age and emergence from the Championship scene, he could even become Everton’s own version of Elliot Anderson, who is the talk of the town right now, as he nears a £116m move from Nottingham Forest to Manchester City.

Anderson is the ultimate all-action midfielder in the Premier League right now, fiercely intense and devoted to his ball-winning duties. Moreover, he is an excellent distributor, eagerly crashing into the danger area and creating chances for his attacking teammates.

Hackney scored five goals and provided seven assists in the Championship last season, with his clever, calculated passing allowing Boro to launch a promotion charge that led them all the way to the final, agonisingly missing out to Hull City at Wembley.

Anderson is unquestionably the cream of the crop when it comes to English centre-midfielders not named Declan Rice, but Hackney could give him a good run for his money down the line, should he successfully integrate into an Everton side who came close to returning to European competition. Might Hackney have been a difference-maker there?

Hackney is not recognised as a world-beater just yet, but he’s making all the right moves. Don’t forget, Anderson failed to cut the mustard when on loan with Watford in the Championship, and was discarded by Newcastle two years ago as they sought to ease concerns regarding PSR.

For Everton, the future England star could grow into a sensation, all the while assisting Everton in their pursuit of a European campaign after nearly a decade away.