Everton are reportedly interested in a January swoop for Middlesbrough midfielder Hayden Hackney.
The 23-year-old has been in superb form at the Riverside this season, with Kim Hellberg’s side second in the league.
Hackney has started all 21 league games for ‘Boro this season, with nine goal contributions in total.
Indeed, the England U21 player has scored three goals, providing an additional six assists.
As per TEAMtalk, the midfielder is attracting the attention of a number of Premier League clubs.
However, with Middlesbrough pushing for promotion, securing his signature in January could prove difficult.
While the report does not specify what the midfielder could cost, his current contract runs until June 2027.
MIDFIELD COULD BE A PRIORITY IN JANUARY
Everton’s limited firepower has seen the club linked with just about every centre-forward in Europe.
A striker should still be a priority for David Moyes in January, with Beto and Barry scoring just one goal each.
However, a key area for investment will now likely be reinforcing the weakened midfield.
Idrissa Gueye and Iliman Ndiaye will miss up to seven games while on international duty with Senegal.
Meanwhile, Merlin Rohl has been sidelined for a number of weeks after undergoing surgery on a hernia problem.
To compound things, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall limped off at Stamford Bridge with a suspected hamstring injury.
Jack Grealish also sustained an injury during the defeat to Chelsea, leaving Moyes with few options.
There have been suggestions that Harrison Armstrong’s loan at Preston could be cut short in January.
However, the youngster is blossoming while on loan. Indeed, it could be counter productive for his development to bring him back too soon.
Young Tyler Dybling could get an opportunity against Arsenal on Saturday following his impressive cameo at Chelsea.
However, with few options in the middle, it’ll be interesting to see where Moyes prioritises investment in January.
