David Moyes’ admiration for Tyrique George has brought Everton to the brink of a permanent deal for the Chelsea winger. The 20-year-old made 11 appearances during a four-month loan on Merseyside, starting once, and left a lasting impression on the Everton manager, who described him in May as “an excellent boy” with an “excellent work-rate”.
That loan, which began in February, included an option to buy for £25m. Everton did not activate it, but negotiations reopened with Chelsea, and an agreement is now close. The fee will be lower than £25m up front, with add-ons expected to bring Chelsea close to their original asking price.
“Everton are close to signing Tyrique George from Chelsea and Hayden Hackney from Middlesbrough in a double transfer deal.”
George, an England Under-21 international, has been available for transfer for the past year. He held talks with RB Leipzig last summer, while a £22m move to Fulham collapsed on deadline day in September 2025. Now a return to Everton appears imminent.
A similar structure has unlocked a deal for Middlesbrough’s Hayden Hackney. The 24-year-old midfielder, named Championship player of the season for 2025-26, had attracted interest from Crystal Palace. with only one year left on his contract. Everton have agreed to pay a guaranteed £16.5m, potentially rising to £25m with add-ons. Hackney is expected to have a medical in the coming days and complete the move by the end of the week.
The double swoop comes as Everton finalise a separate permanent deal for Merlin Rohl, who impressed on loan from SC Freiburg last season, while Idrissa Gana Gueye and Seamus Coleman have departed after their contracts expired.
At Chelsea, the sale of George is part of a wider squad reduction under new manager Xabi Alonso. The club finished 10th in the Premier League, missing European competition, and remain under a Uefa settlement agreement after breaching financial regulations last summer. Real Madrid are interested in Enzo Fernandez, while Como and Inter Milan want Trevoh Chalobah. The futures of Benoit Badiashile, Tosin Adarabioyo, Wesley Fofana, Alejandro Garnacho and Liam Delap are also uncertain.
Chelsea have signed Marco Palestra from Atalanta and continue to pursue Crystal Palace’s Maxence Lacroix, Como’s Jacobo Ramon and Rayo Vallecano’s Pep Chavarria. But with fewer matches and reduced revenue, player sales remain a priority.