Everton are pursuing Middlesbrough midfielder Hayden Hackney, the Championship's player of the season. The 23-year-old, valued at £10m-£15m, is also attracting interest from Brighton, Tottenham, Nottingham Forest, Leeds, and Crystal Palace.
Middlesbrough reached the Championship playoff final after Southampton was expelled due to a 'spygate' incident. A photographer inadvertently captured evidence of Southampton's manager spying on a training session, leading to a points deduction and expulsion, with a precedent set by a similar case involving Canada's women's team.
Transfer roundup: Newcastle interested in Senegal striker Nicolas Jackson returning from Bayern loan; Chelsea considering Antonio Conte as permanent manager; Manchester United monitoring Xavi Simons; Liverpool braced for Alisson Becker Juventus move; Everton target John McGinn.
