Everton’s pursuit of Hayden Hackney is set to create a bloated midfield group at Finch Farm.
David Moyes already has too many midfielders to select from at Everton, which led to the likes of Harrison Armstrong struggle for minutes after his loan recall.
Over recent days, Everton have convinced Hackney to sign for them, on the basis of agreeing a deal with Middlesbrough.
How would you feel about Hayden Hackney becoming Everton’s first signing? 🤩
The 23-year-old’s potential move to Merseyside could well signal the end of the line for Tim Iroegbunam, but also hint at the tactical tweak Moyes wants to make.
Everton open to selling Tim Iroegbunam this summer
Already, clubs are lining up to take Iroegbunam from Everton over the coming weeks.
Ipswich Town are interested in Iroegbunam following their promotion back to the Premier League, with the Toffees rating the midfielder at around £20m.
Don’t hold back, let us know who you want gone this summer 👋
Speaking on A View From The Bullens, The Bobble has admitted that Everton would consider Iroegbunam’s departure if they land a player like Hackney.
“Everton still hold Tim Iroegbunam at the football club. His contract ends in 2027, and they are open to offers for him,” he said.
Everton fans remain mixed on Iroegbunam after his 2025/26 campaign, which showed where the midfielder lacks technically.
David Moyes wants to improve Everton’s style of play with midfield change
A rugged midfielder, Iroegbunam rightfully earned praise for his ability to break up play, but there was no hiding from his deficiency in the passing department
Comparing Hackney to Iroegbunam shows a huge difference in the way the two midfielders play the game.
| 2025/26 | Tim Iroegbunam | Hayden Hackney |
| Pass accuracy | 81% | 86% |
| Assists | 2 | 7 |
| Key passes (per game) | 0.3 | 2.2 |
| Completed passes (per game) | 13.8 | 54.3 |
| Successful dribbles (per game) | 0.5 | 1.4 |
Granted, the pair were playing in different leagues, but Hackney’s significantly greater ability on the ball to Iroegbunam’s is there for all to see.
Hackney’s reliability in the passing game should provide Everton with more freedom in the middle of the pitch.
Iroegbunam showed some progression this season on Merseyside, but his struggles on the ball were clear for large parts of the campaign.
With the two midfielders being of similar age, the possible arrival of Hackney on Merseyside may well spell the end for Iroegbunam at Everton.
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