Nottingham Forest have launched a £40 million bid to sign Everton's teenage midfielder Harrison Armstrong, according to a report by BBC Sport. The offer comes as Everton sit fifth in the Premier League with three points from one game, having started the season with a win.
Will Everton sell Harrison Armstrong to Forest?
The Athletic reported that Forest are preparing an offer of £40m plus a potential sell-on clause for the 19-year-old England under-19 international. Armstrong has made 23 appearances for Everton and started in their 2-0 win against Crystal Palace last week. BBC Sport notes that it would be a major surprise if Everton sanctioned the deal, but Forest hope to prise away the player regarded as having a big future.
Manager David Moyes has been frustrated by a lack of incoming transfers this summer. The Friedkin Group, Everton's owners, would risk fan fury by agreeing to sell their brightest home-grown prospect to a club Everton expect to challenge. Supporters chanted Armstrong's name during the Bournemouth match, with the Daily Mail reporting some threatened to "riot"if he is sold.
How did Everton perform at Bournemouth?"disappointed" with his team's performance and admitted it looked like they "were never going to score"before the late breakthrough. The point keeps Everton three points behind early leaders Manchester City in the title race."We showed good character to keep going and get something from the game," the manager said in his post-match comments reported by BBC Sport. He acknowledged his team's attacking struggles before Tarkowski's intervention.
The draw comes amid ongoing speculation about player departures, with Iliman Ndiaye also linked to Manchester City. Moyes made clear after Wednesday's Carabao Cup win at Preston that he wanted reinforcements. The club's handling of Forest's approach for Armstrong could be a defining moment for the ownership and manager.
What is Everton's current injury situation?
Everton are currently without several players due to injury. Christian Nørgaard, Tim Iroegbunam and Hayden Hackney are all sidelined, which impacts squad depth ahead of the next fixture. The latest availability updates can be found on our injuries page.
The team now prepares to face Manchester United at home on September 6th. United currently sit 16th in the table, making it an important opportunity for Everton to build on their positive start. Fans can check the full schedule on our fixtures page as the season develops.
