New Everton signing Hayden Hackney has set an ambitious target for his debut Premier League campaign after making his first appearance for the club. The 24-year-old midfielder, who joined from Middlesbrough for £16.5million, played 45 minutes in a pre-season friendly against Stoke City at the bet365 Stadium. David Moyes' side lost 1-0, with Gabriel Kelly scoring the only goal on the hour mark.
Double Figures Target
When asked about his personal objectives for the upcoming season, Hackney said: "I want to get double figures joined together hopefully for goals and assists. That’s what I aim for, so we’ll see how that goes." He expressed confidence in his ability to make an immediate impact: "I think I’m capable of slotting straight in. Obviously, I want to start games, and I think I can affect games."
Moyes and Fans Attracted Him
Hackney, a Redcar native, made 154 appearances for Middlesbrough and scored 16 goals. He credited manager David Moyes' track record of developing Championship players into Premier League stars, such as Tim Cahill, Joleon Lescott, and Jarrod Bowen, as a key factor in his move. "The gaffer’s record of bringing in players from the Championship and turning them into Premier League stars was part of the attraction for me," he said. "He’s done that in the past so hopefully I can do the same." He also praised the Everton supporters: "The supporters are unbelievable. I’ve heard lots about them so I can’t wait to get into Hill Dickinson Stadium and hear them."
Midfield Opportunity
With James Garner injured and Idrissa Gueye departed, there is potential for Hackney to secure a regular starting role. He started alongside Harrison Armstrong and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall in central midfield. Hackney said: "I was delighted to get out there. I loved it. It’s been a long time coming. The first couple of weeks have just been training, but it was nice to get out there." He added: "Getting some tidy touches early on helped to settle me down. Obviously, I’ve been training with the lads regularly now and it's just about building that understanding and tonight I could do that."
Moyes took him off at half-time as a precaution, as Hackney had not played since March, barring a 20-minute cameo in Middlesbrough's 1-0 Championship play-off final defeat to Hull City on May 23. "I enjoyed playing alongside Harrison, he’s a good player. I thought we linked up well at times and with Ki as well, so we can hopefully build on that," Hackney said. He also praised his new teammates: "The lads have been brilliant with me. I’ll be honest, they’ve made it so easy. Just training with them every day, that breaks the ice a lot. The senior lads especially have been great with me, so it’s been simple."
