adminEverton supporters have made their position crystal clear over Harrison Armstrong’s future after Nottingham Forest reportedly opened talks with the Toffees over a potential £40 million deal for the highly rated teenager.
The transfer speculation dominated much of the build-up to Everton’s Premier League meeting with Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday, with travelling supporters making their anger known over the possibility of the academy graduate being sold.
Armstrong, 19, was named in David Moyes’ starting XI for the Bournemouth clash despite the growing uncertainty surrounding his future.
Reports of Forest’s interest emerged before kick-off, with the Premier League club understood to have identified Armstrong as one of their preferred midfield targets. The proposed £40m move has caused considerable frustration among Everton supporters, who see the youngster as an important part of the club’s future.
Everton fans send clear message over Armstrong
The travelling Everton supporters wasted little time expressing their feelings at the Vitality Stadium.
Fans broke into a chant directed at the club’s ownership and recruitment decision-makers, warning them against allowing Armstrong to leave.
The supporters sang:
“Don’t sell Armstrong, Harrison Armstrong, I just don’t think you understand. If you sell Armstrong, Harrison Armstrong, you’re gonna have a riot on your hands.”
The chant quickly became one of the major talking points surrounding the match and underlined just how strongly Evertonians feel about the youngster.
Armstrong has become increasingly popular among supporters following his emergence from the Everton academy, with many viewing him as exactly the type of player the club should be developing rather than selling.
Why Armstrong has become so important to Everton
The teenager has progressed through Everton’s academy and has impressed whenever given opportunities in senior football.
His development has accelerated significantly over the past year, including loan spells designed to give him regular first-team experience before he returned to Everton and forced his way into Moyes’ plans.
Armstrong also impressed during Everton’s opening Premier League victory over Crystal Palace, providing an assist and completing the full 90 minutes. His performances have only strengthened the belief among supporters that he can become an important player for the club.
That explains why the possibility of selling him to another Premier League club has been met with such a strong reaction.
Moyes refuses to rule out transfer
Moyes was also asked about Armstrong’s future after the transfer reports emerged.
The Everton manager indicated that the decision would ultimately be a club matter, rather than something entirely within his control. He was reluctant to go into detail about the situation, adding to the uncertainty surrounding the youngster’s future.
The possibility of Armstrong leaving has therefore created an uncomfortable situation for Everton, particularly with the transfer deadline approaching.
The club could potentially receive around £40m for a player who has come through its own academy, making the proposal financially attractive. However, supporters believe his long-term sporting value could be considerably greater.
Armstrong starts as Everton rescue a point
Despite all the speculation surrounding his future, Armstrong started against Bournemouth as Everton looked to build on their positive opening-weekend result.
Bournemouth took the lead through Alex Scott, who produced an impressive finish to put the hosts ahead.
Everton struggled to find an equaliser for much of the second half, but James Tarkowski dramatically rescued a point in stoppage time when he converted from a set-piece situation.
The 1-1 draw means Everton remain unbeaten after their opening two Premier League matches, but Armstrong’s future is likely to remain one of the biggest talking points around the club in the final days of the transfer window.
Everton supporters now await the club’s decision
The reaction from the travelling fans shows that selling Armstrong could trigger significant unrest among the Everton fanbase.
For supporters, the issue is bigger than simply losing a £40m-rated player. Armstrong represents the academy pathway they want to see Everton embrace, and his departure could be viewed as another example of the club sacrificing young talent for immediate financial gain.
With Forest reportedly pushing ahead with their interest, the pressure is now on Everton’s hierarchy to decide whether the financial benefits of a major sale outweigh the footballing value of keeping one of their most promising young players.
For now, Armstrong remains an Everton player.
But with the transfer deadline fast approaching, Everton fans will be watching every development closely—and their message at Bournemouth could hardly have been clearer: they do not want Harrison Armstrong sold.
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