Everton target Middlesbrough midfielder Hayden Hackney amid competition

Everton Football Club are pursuing Middlesbrough midfielder Hayden Hackney. The club faces strong competition for the Championship's player of the season. Hackney, 23, is expected to leave Middlesbrough this month. His departure would follow a season in which he earned the player of the season award. Brighton & Hove Albion, Tottenham Hotspur, Nottingham Forest and Leeds United have also expressed interest. All four clubs are monitoring the midfielder's situation. Everton manager David Moyes seeks reinforcement in central midfield and at right-back. Moyes has revived interest in Hackney, a player he evaluated twelve months ago. A successful transfer would give Everton a versatile midfield option ahead of the next campaign. If negotiations stall, competition among the interested clubs is likely to intensify.