Everton set to move ahead of Crystal Palace in Hayden Hackney saga

It is a hugely important summer transfer window for Crystal Palace, as they attempt to bolster their squad ahead of their inclusion in the Europa League next season.

And one of the areas Palace are looking to strengthen is, without a doubt, the midfield, and particularly the holding midfield spots.

That is why there was interest in Hayden Hackney, with the 24-year-old Middlesbrough midfielder high up their prioritites for this summer.

But the Eagles’ hopes of landing Hackney this summer appear to have suffered a setback after fresh reports suggested Everton are now leading the race for the Middlesbrough midfielder.

Palace have reportedly been in direct competition with Everton to bring Hackney into the club this summer and it would appear that at this moment it is the Merseyside club and not Palace who are in pole position to sign him.

Hackney was crowned Championship Player of the Year and the second division in England has become a league of huge importance for the Eagles in recent years, with the likes of Michael Olise, Eberechi Eze and Adam Wharton all signed from various Championship clubs.

Olise came from Reading, while Eze signed from Queen’s Park Rangers and Wharton from Blackburn Rovers.

Now, the Eagles were hoping they would be able to sign another top young player from the Championship under the proviso of hugely boosting their ranks in the midfield and letting them compete across multiple competitions.

Palace last season did win the Conference League under Oliver Glasner to qualify for the Europa League but also struggled at times in the Premier League on the way to a 15th-place finish.

And, while it seems inevitable that Palace are going to lose players this summer, notably Wharton and Maxence Lacroix, who seem destined to depart the Eagles this summer, despite their previous intentions to try and keep hold of their best players.

Should Palace lose Wharton, Hackney is the absolutely ideal replacement, but there has been a major snag in their plans to sign him.

According to reports in the Yorkshire Post, Everton are set to move ahead of Crystal Palace in their pursuit of Hackney this summer.

It would be a blow to Everton, with Hackney the exact sort of profile the Eagles have become so good at identifying, signing, developing and then selling on for significant profit.

On this occasion, though, it would appear they may be beaten at their own game.