Three ways David Moyes can use versatile Hayden Hackney for Everton

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Hayden Hackney is Everton’s newest signing, and the midfielder’s versatility gives David Moyes several different options.

After a few weeks of nothing really happening after interest was reported, Everton reached an agreement with Middlesbrough on Monday for the transfer of Hackney.

Everton have paid an initial £16.5 million for the 24-year-old, and the total cost of the deal could someday rise to £25 million.

It is a positive deal for Everton, especially given how many clubs wanted to sign the star. Indeed, at one stage it was reported that half the Premier League were interested in Hackney.

Hackney said in his first interview that it was always going to be Everton, and hopefully he can make an impact right from the off.

And it will be very fascinating to see how Moyes looks to use him, given his fairly wide skillset.

Double pivot with James Garner

Everton played with a double pivot for the most part in 2025/26, with Idrissa Gana Gueye operating alongside James Garner.

We don’t yet know if Gueye will be staying, although an exit does feel a bit more likely now.

But even if Gueye stays, Hackney ought to be a starter from the off – and him directly replacing Gueye in that double pivot with Garner could work a treat.

25 of his outings were from a deep-lying role last season and by mid-February, no player had won possession in the midfield third more times than Hackney (104). He had also ranked top for ball recoveries (182) out of all outfield players at that point.

Simply put, he can thrive doing dirty work in deeper positions.

Box-to-box role

While Hackney is tenacious and hardworking, he is also someone who can affect the play further forward.

He operated in a box-to-box role 17 times last term, and Hackney finished with a haul of six goals and eight assists across all competitions.

He created 85 chances in total in the Championship in 2025/26, and that definitely suggests he can be of use in a box-to-box role.

Now Hackney is confirmed, who should Everton be bringing in next? 💰

Time to take our foot off the brake pedal in the market…

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Everton have tended to go with a double pivot with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall as a sole 10. But perhaps to make the most of Hackney, Moyes will consider Garner to play as a single pivot, with Hackney and Dewsbury-Hall as a pair of eights.

Hackney and Dewsbury-Hall also both get through a lot of running per game, so box-to-box roles for both could make sense.

Single pivot

We haven’t really seen it too much under Moyes, but playing with one sole defensive midfielder might be something Moyes considers – and Hackney could be the man to play the role.

Teams that play with single pivots need that player to be really comfortable on the ball, and to constantly offer themselves as an option.

Hackney has not often played on his own at the base of a midfield and has usually had a partner.

But he is press-resistant, and he’s also very good at advancing the ball through the lines.

There is also the notion that Garner has playmaking qualities that Everton could make better use of in a more advanced role.

So perhaps a setup of Hackney as a sole six behind Garner and Dewsbury-Hall as a pair of eights is also worth considering.