Everton News Catch-Up

Michael Kenrick 05/06/2026 55comments | Jump to last

A few things have popped up this week that were probably not worth an article on their own. We have brought them together in this thread, with links if you want more information.

1) Hackney talks underway

The Bobble has posted on social media that Everton have entered into talks with Middlesbrough, the intent being to secure the signing of Hayden Hackney. The 23-year-old’s preference is to join Everton over a number of other Premier League clubs who are said to be interested.

2) Everton put a price on Ndiaye

The Athletic's Paddy Boyland is claiming Everton want £70M for Ndiaye, who has been refusing to sign a new contract.

3) Nathan Patterson is a target for Sheffield Utd

Sheffield United are interested in Nathan Patterson; however, Burnley’s Kyle Walker is their main target and interest in Patterson will only be followed up if they cannot convince Walker to take a substantial paycut.

4) Summer Events at Hill Dickinson Stadium

The club website features a list of various events and activities planned for the summer at Hill Dickinson Stadium.

5) Inside Everton's £50M summer transfer plan

The i Paper claims to have gone Inside Everton's £50M summer transfer plan — with five key targets listed [behind a paywall].

Reader Comments (55)

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Ian Bennett
1 Posted 05/06/2026 at 19:37:16

Sky reporting Hackney approach has been rejected.

Everton's Hackney approach firmly knocked back
Latest from Sky Sports News' Lyall Thomas and Vinny O'Connor:

Everton have been firmly knocked back by Middlesbrough following an initial approach for Hayden Hackney.

The Premier League club are thought to be far away from Boro's valuation and there are no further talks ongoing at this stage.

Everton are one of a number of clubs interested in Hackney including Tottenham, Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace.

Mark Ryan
2 Posted 05/06/2026 at 20:58:58

No wonder it's been knocked back. £10M for the Championship's stand out player is a joke... but I guess we are cutting our cloth accordingly.

I just hope we don't miss out on him because he's a good prospect.

Ian Bennett
3 Posted 05/06/2026 at 21:11:10

A year left on his contract, Mark.

Kevin Molloy
4 Posted 05/06/2026 at 21:11:49

Turned us down, have they?

Relax, we've got this.

Mark Wynne
5 Posted 05/06/2026 at 23:03:31

Everton have had their bid of five quid and a piece of cheese on a “I’ll gladly pay you Tuesday” deal for Hackney turned down by Middlesbrough.

Mike Gaynes
6 Posted 06/06/2026 at 01:23:31

We'll get 'im.

Steve Brown
7 Posted 06/06/2026 at 03:19:23

He's a reasonable target for a lower-status Premier League club.

Alan J Thompson
8 Posted 06/06/2026 at 06:43:26

Have Middlesboro' not heard that they are dealing with our crack (no, there is an R in it) Transfer Committee?

Or have they contracted the Southampton spy???

Sean Kelly
9 Posted 06/06/2026 at 08:52:12

Mark,

Our £50M piggy bank wouldn't even get you the cheese.

The kitty means we are selling Ndiaye.

Brian Harrison
10 Posted 06/06/2026 at 10:52:06

Maybe yet again I have misunderstood as I seem to do very often these days. But I could have sworn that, when the stadium was complete, Dan Meis said if safe standing is allowed -- which it now -- is then our attendance could go up to 62,000.

But, despite apparently having a 5-year waiting list for season tickets, we have heard nothing about increasing the ground capacity to 62,000.

Paul Hewitt
11 Posted 06/06/2026 at 11:11:53

Agree Brian.

Sunderland are using safe standing for next season, upping their capacity. So why don't we?

Christy Ring
12 Posted 06/06/2026 at 11:45:11

I reckon we'll get him for £15M, with 1 year left on his contract.

Hackney can tell the club, he'll stay and run down his contract!

Dave Abrahams
13 Posted 06/06/2026 at 12:14:10

Alan (8),

I hope they haven't contacted the former Southampton manager who told us that Dibling was the most talented player he had even seen and what a great player he was going to become!

John Collins
14 Posted 06/06/2026 at 13:54:34

The West Ham chairman has stood down in the light of "serious historic allegations"

Frank Worrall
15 Posted 06/06/2026 at 15:58:31

Why are Everton behaving like a cheapskate outfit when it comes to buying players (with the exception of the Dibling fiasco)?

The new owners are reported to be swimming in cash, yet we can't compete with the likes of Sunderland, Nottm Forest and others in the market! Is it Moyes or the transfer committee who are putting potential incomers off... or some other factor?

With a new season looming, it looks as though we are heading for a re-run of last season's misery, with a handful ageing players and nothing hopeful on the horizon!

Sean Kelly
16 Posted 06/06/2026 at 19:37:23

I think we are returning to the Billy bullshit years. The Friedkins may have bought the club but they are turning us into an event centre -- not a fucking football club.

Moyes must have told them “I got this. I've learned from the best skinflint ever.”

“Own the club but no need to invest in players!”

Mark Ryan
17 Posted 06/06/2026 at 20:14:03

Sean @ 16, that made me laugh " I've got this. ever". Funny as

Jim Bennings
18 Posted 06/06/2026 at 22:38:19

I think the Friedkins will sell the club first chance they get, may even be this summer.

I don't think they are invested at all in the club, it's Roma all the way with them, that much is pretty obvious and I've read and listened to quite a lot in the last week or so suggest that Everton is very much not a priority.

They are invisible owners and I don't see anything happening this summer even if they remain in control to make a statement of intent, I don't think we'll see any kind of ambition from Everton as a club sadly.

Derek Thomas
19 Posted 06/06/2026 at 23:36:13

Jim @ 18; Welcome to the club (official membership 2) I've been saying this for a long time now.

Get the ex Spurs Boss Levy in and the current dummies Kinnear and Moyes out.

But no, apparently I have to be careful what I wish for...

Proper (New) Owners who want to do something, not just build up the balance sheet for a quick sell on.
Somebody who allow me, one last time, to walk The Glory Road, singing, We shall not be moved

A Shark Tank/Dragons Den-esque Chairman who will do unto others, not play grab ankles for all and sundry.

A young progressive manager who can run a Full squad without running it into the ground.

Maybe even like the one who, twice in 6mths, using players with little or none of this much vaunted Premier League Experience, put us to the sword in both Cup and League.

I'll not hold my breath though.

Dale Self
20 Posted 07/06/2026 at 01:17:09

Derek, man, Levy?

Use that edit button if it is still alive.

Paul Griffiths
21 Posted 07/06/2026 at 02:49:26

Did I just read Levy? I did. Dear God.

Jimmy Hardacre
22 Posted 07/06/2026 at 07:22:39

The problem a lot of our fans seem to miss is, to The Friedkin Group, we are just a business. We talk from the heart; they talk from the bottom line -- no passion, no desire... just as long as we are in the money-making Premier League scam.

They will happily keep soft lad Moyes we all talk tactics, what's needed, and so on. They are all about money -- most American owners are. This is why they signed up for 3 years to let the TV fuck the kick-off times up, as we don't matter anymore.

Derek Thomas
23 Posted 07/06/2026 at 07:47:56

Dale and Paul@ 20, 21. Now I can't speak about him personally - and I'm not looking to marry him or bring him into the bosom of my family, but as far as I've seen over the last 15 to 20 yreas, there's been nowt wrong with Levy from a canny businessman point of view... you guys may know more about him than me though.

He came across as a bit of a ruthlessly efficient bastard that not many got the better of... none of which would apply to any of our Owners, Chairmen or GrandPoobahs this century!

I don't see him getting conned into a 1 bidder auction by Southampton and lashing out £40M on Dibling, for instance... or putting up with too much of Davey's dumbing down of expectations and Cup capitulations!

Paul Griffiths
24 Posted 07/06/2026 at 07:59:34

Cheers, Derek, but owners and chairmen -- Levy had a 30% stake -- do not 'transfer' like players, as I'm sure you know mate.

Derek Thomas
25 Posted 07/06/2026 at 08:22:37

Paul @ 24; I did know he was 'part' owner just not that much, so he probably wouldn't come to us and 'work for wages.'

But if not him exactly then some other ruthless canny bastard like that who 'knows the cries' as they say and not some suit with an 'ology' who knows all the buzz words.

Paul Hewitt
26 Posted 07/06/2026 at 08:51:48

PG. I thought Levy had sold his shares in Spurs?

Sean Kelly
27 Posted 07/06/2026 at 08:53:33

My fear for Everton is that the club will become a tenant at Bramley-Moore Dock and will end up like West Ham.

Hopefully not as relegation material.

Clive Rogers
28 Posted 07/06/2026 at 10:06:26

Sounds like we are £10M to £15M away from what Boro want.

Cough up, you tight bastards!

John Collins
29 Posted 07/06/2026 at 11:04:53

Everybody who has watched us this and the last 3 seasons knows we need a right-back as priority.

Do TFG know?

Michael Kenrick
30 Posted 07/06/2026 at 12:21:08

Sean @27,

I had to ask my friend about that West Ham deal:

Base Rent: Due to inflation adjustments linked to the Retail Price Index, West Ham's annual rent has risen from an initial £2.5M in 2016 to roughly £4.4M to £4.6M per year.

The Relegation Clause: If West Ham is relegated from the Premier League to the Championship, a specific clause triggers an automatic 50% rent reduction. This drops their rent obligations to roughly £2.2M to £2.5M.

Unlike traditional stadium owners, West Ham does not pay for the vast majority of matchday overheads. The public owners cover:

Matchday Staffing: All costs for stewarding, stadium security, and turnstile operators.

Overheads: Utilities, pitch maintenance, corner flags, goalposts, and even stadium cleaning.

Policing: Taxpayers foot the multi-million-pound bill required to police matches.

Because of this arrangement, West Ham's rent does not even cover the literal cost of staging their football matches!!!

I could be wrong... but I suspect Everton are a long long way from this, and have to pay for everything!

Michael Kenrick
31 Posted 07/06/2026 at 12:31:05

John @29,

Do TFG know we need a right-back as priority?

I would suspect the ultimately thwarted pursuit of Fulham's Kenny Tete last summer may indicate that they do indeed know this... or at least the recruitment politburo are well aware.

But of course, what matters is who they can lock down for next season... Don't hold your breath.

Michael Kenrick
32 Posted 07/06/2026 at 12:31:05

John Collins
33 Posted 07/06/2026 at 12:57:57

Michael,

I don't think they know what a right back is.
No interest in the football side of things looking at it.

Michael Kenrick
34 Posted 07/06/2026 at 13:14:49

John, yes, it's very easy to conclude that. Takes no effort whatsoever.

On the flipside... can I ask exactly how much involvement TFG should have on the football side of things?

Or would it be better if TFG were to delegate that responsibility to others... who do have proven professional experience and expertise in the English game?

John Collins
35 Posted 07/06/2026 at 13:22:30

"Can I ask exactly how much involvement TFG should have on the football side of things?".

Being able to point which direction the ground is from the Pier Head would be a start, Michael.

Michael Kenrick
36 Posted 07/06/2026 at 13:28:24

Is that all you got, John?

SatNav... Google Maps. Sorted.

And what material difference would that make to Everton FC?

John Collins
37 Posted 07/06/2026 at 14:26:46

Your the expert Michael 😄

You tell me

Dale Self
38 Posted 07/06/2026 at 16:04:21

Fair enough, Derek. It should be understood, though, while Levy was a league above in transfer ruthlessness, he often came up way short in January windows when Spurs had chances to claim a Champions League spot.

And besides, he looks too much like Bezos.

Jim Bennings
39 Posted 07/06/2026 at 19:02:13

The alarm bells should really have started ringing when the Friedkins never showed up at Goodison for the last ever game against Southampton a year ago. How as owners can you not be involved in that occasion?

It's no longer early days now and, 18 months on nearly, I'm not getting any kind of feelings or vibes of positivity on anything that will tell me we as a club are moving onwards.

Tony Abrahams
40 Posted 07/06/2026 at 20:37:17

My own view is that if you have got owners who don’t want to go inside the stadium, to try and enjoy and embrace what they have bought into, then they aren’t really that bothered about making a material difference.

Paul Hewitt
41 Posted 07/06/2026 at 21:00:16

Tony@40. I'd be surprised if they are still owners in 5 years. Think they saw a way of making a quick buck and bought us.

Phil Roberts
42 Posted 08/06/2026 at 09:56:11

John #35 - my problem is knowing which direction is the Pier Head from inside the ground. Once I am through the turnstyles, I have no idea which is North and which is South.

John Collins
43 Posted 08/06/2026 at 10:31:43

Phil,

Ive thought on that a few times sitting in the ground mate.
Unless my compass is out isn't the North Stand facing east?
Or,on the west side of the layout?

Dave Abrahams
44 Posted 08/06/2026 at 10:39:00

Phil (42) Phil if you were sitting in the players dug out then the North would be to the left of you and the South and the Peir Head would be to right of you— and Moyes wouldn’t have a bleedin’ clue where he was or what he was doing!

Alan McGuffog
45 Posted 08/06/2026 at 10:45:55

John and Dave...aren't they the lyrics for a hit for the Who ?

Mark Murphy
46 Posted 08/06/2026 at 10:54:00

Here’s what I can’t figure out.
I’ve sat in the North Stand, behind the goal, a couple of times on my mates season ticket.
The entrance is gate 17, near the club shop.
Once inside I go right, along the ground floor concourse which is wide and spacious. The away supporters go into the ground to my right as I’m queuing at gate 17, but once I’m in my seat they are over to my left, at ground level.
I don’t pass any inside the ground so how to they get to their section?

Eric Myles
47 Posted 08/06/2026 at 11:41:05

Those summer foody events at the ground, the Domingo' and Trinity Place offerings, does anyone know if they are part of the catering contract or Club outlets?

I don't mind paying the Club for a couple of tomahawk steaks but if it's not going into PSR, I'll go to Wetherspoon's instead.

Raymond Fox
48 Posted 08/06/2026 at 11:42:22

I think we were seen as a cut price bargain by them seeing they had the backing of seemingly lots of money and financial worth.

They have no affinity for the club; we are an owned asset, but they are no different I suppose to most owners of Premier League clubs.

It now depends how much of a gambler they are? We will find out come August.

They did show some ambition last season but the money was not spent very well, the blame for that was not with them though but their employees.

Martin Farrington
49 Posted 08/06/2026 at 14:03:56

Love the fact that the Everton news catch up messages are:

1. Which way are the stands really pointing?
2. That the away fans seem to be using tunnel Harry to get in and out of the ground.
3. How much of a fuck the new owners actually give.

Yes, we are all ready for the summer circus act to begin.

Tony Abrahams
50 Posted 08/06/2026 at 14:11:56

Mark@46, the same way as you do mate!!!

Mike Gaynes
51 Posted 08/06/2026 at 14:17:51

Eric #47,

Every event at Hill Dickinson Stadium is considered club revenue and therefore adds to our PSR spending ceiling.

Michael Kenrick
52 Posted 08/06/2026 at 15:30:30

Bang on the money. Mike:

Everton's Chief Revenue Officer describes club's stadium strategy

Phil Roberts
53 Posted 08/06/2026 at 17:58:41

Just had a thought -- but we might be in a better shape this summer. Last summer, we lost:

Holgate
Keane
Harrison (Loan)
Virginia
Chermiti
Calvert-Lewin
Young
Dele Alli
Maupay
Lindstrøm (Loan)
Broja (Loan)
Gana
Decoure
Mangala (Loan)

Some were no real loss (Maupay, Dele Alli, Holgate) but there were significant gaps to fill. Some were filled, some weren't.

This season, the only out-of-contract ones are:

Coleman
Gana (Do we hold the option for him to stay?)
Grealish (loan)
George (loan)

Therefore, the recruitment team can focus on a smaller number of players. We brought in 7 new faces last summer and so their work was perhaps less focused.

We can but hope.

Eric Myles
54 Posted 09/06/2026 at 03:21:15

Not if the catering is outsourced Mike #51.

If the caterers pay a rental fee for the facilities then they take all the revenues, the only revenue to the Club is the fixed rental fee.

It's what Chairman Bill did to Goodison.

Mike Gaynes
55 Posted 09/06/2026 at 19:47:32

Eric, one of Everton's new commercial partners is Aramark, the food services company.

They are paying a great deal of Founding Sponsor money to be the stadium's exclusive Official Culinary Experience Partner, as they called it in the press release.

I would be absolutely astonished if any besides a local restaurant event is allowed to bring in an outside caterer.

Maybe a wedding or a bar mitzvah, but certainly nothing larger.

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