Everton Sign Championship Star Hayden Hackney as Spurs Break Record for Fernandes

Everton and Tottenham moved aggressively in the market on the same day, one raiding the Championship for its standout midfielder, the other paying a premium to prise a rising star from a Premier League rival.

Everton get their man

Everton have finally completed the signing of Hayden Hackney from Middlesbrough in a deal that could reach £25m, ending weeks of hard bargaining and failed bids.

The 24-year-old, named Championship player of the year last season, has signed a five-year contract on Merseyside. Everton will pay an initial £16.5m, with the fee potentially climbing to £25m through add-ons, including clauses linked to Hackney representing England.

Middlesbrough held their line. With only 12 months left on his contract, several Everton offers were turned down as the Teesside club clung to their £25m valuation. Interest from Crystal Palace only strengthened their stance. The player, though, had made up his mind.

“As soon as I spoke to the manager, as soon as I knew Everton were interested, it was always going to be Everton,” Hackney said after the move was confirmed. “It’s such a big club, with the new stadium and the direction it’s going in. I just wanted to be part of that.

“The manager’s track record of bringing players from the Championship to the Premier League was a massive part of my decision as well. Hopefully I can be the next one to do it successfully for Everton.”

Hackney arrives as a midfielder who can knit play and break lines, but he clearly sees more in his own game.

“I think fans can expect a bit of everything from me – attacking and defensively,” he said. “I think I can carry the ball well, arrive late in the box, and hopefully score some goals. I think there’s plenty more to come from me. Obviously, I haven’t played in the Premier League yet, so once I get used to that I think I can kick on from there.”

David Moyes, back in charge at Goodison and long known for scouring the lower leagues for value, had wanted Hackney last summer before shifting focus to other positions. This time he refused to let the opportunity pass. The midfielder, part of the England side that lifted the European Under-21 Championship in 2025, fits neatly into that familiar Moyes profile.

“Hayden is a promising young player who we’ve been tracking for some time, and I’m looking forward to working with him,” the Everton manager said. “We’ve had a track record over the years of identifying players in the Championship who have gone on to do really well for us and been good investments. We hope that will be the case with Hayden, too.

“He’s an England Under-21 international who will provide greater competition in midfield, which is something I wanted going into the new season.”

Everton, who are also close to signing winger Tyrique George from Chelsea, have made a clear statement: younger legs, resale value, and a squad built to grow into their new stadium rather than limp towards it.

Spurs go big for Fernandes

While Everton shopped smart in the Championship, Tottenham went straight to the top shelf.

Spurs have completed the signing of Mateus Fernandes from West Ham in a deal worth £85m, a club-record outlay for the 21-year-old Portugal international. It is a move that underlines Roberto De Zerbi’s influence and the club’s determination to reshape their midfield around a player built for his ideas.

Fernandes, who began his career at Sporting, already knows English football well. He spent the 2024–25 season at Southampton before joining West Ham last August, using that spell in east London to show he could handle both the pace and the grind of the Premier League.

De Zerbi has followed him closely.

“I’ve admired Mateus for a long time because he combines quality on the ball with the intensity and intelligence that are so important in the way we want to play,” the Spurs head coach said. “Despite his age, he already has good experience in the Premier League and has shown quality and consistency at this level.”

Tottenham are not paying £85m for potential alone. They are paying for a midfielder De Zerbi believes can dictate games under pressure, carry the ball through tight spaces and keep Spurs on the front foot.

Fernandes, for his part, made it clear the head coach was central to his decision.

“I’m very excited for this next step. Spurs is a massive club and the head coach was a key part of why I have decided to join,” he said. “When we spoke it was very special. We look at football in the same way – going on to the pitch as a strong team, with fight and energy, to try and win every game. I can’t wait to get started, to meet the fans, to meet everyone, and give everything for the club.”

De Zerbi’s vision for him is unambiguous.

“Mateus is comfortable under pressure, can progress the ball, works hard for the team and has the courage to make things happen in difficult moments,” he added. “I believe this is the ideal environment for him to continue his development and I’m excited to start working with him.”

Two midfielders, two very different fees, but a similar theme. Everton and Tottenham are betting heavily on youth, on personality, and on players who believe they are only just getting started.