Transfers
Nottingham Forest’s £40m offer forces Everton to consider selling Armstrong
Ben Jacobs Everton are prepared to sell midfielder Harrison Armstrong after Nottingham Forest lodged a £40m bid, with the deal looming in the final days of the transfer window. The 19‑year‑old has already featured heavily this season, making the offer hard to ignore.
Armstrong spent the previous term on loan at Championship side Preston North End, where he impressed enough to earn a return to Everton in 2026. Upon his return he impressed during pre‑season, earning a place in the starting line‑up for the club’s opening two Premier League fixtures.
Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff By  Ben Jacobs & James Beavis AM GMT+1 Sign in to your GiveMeSport account Add Us Summary Generate a summary of this story Like Follow Followed Thread Log Here Try Show Explain I’m Give
Playing time and impact
Since the start of the season the teenager has missed only three minutes of action – he featured in the win over Crystal Palace and the draw with Bournemouth on Saturday, and completed the full 90 minutes of the Carabao Cup tie against Preston.
Forest’s interest intensified on Saturday morning when David Ornstein reported a £40m bid, with the club reportedly willing to include a sell‑on clause as they seek a replacement for Elliot Anderson, who moved to Manchester City.
Everton’s midfield strategy
Everton have already bolstered central midfield this summer, signing Hayden Hackney from Middlesbrough and Christian Norgaard from Arsenal, while Merlin Rohl secured a permanent deal after a loan from Freiburg.
Manager David Moyes has hinted that the club needs five more signings before the deadline, and the £40m fee could fund senior additions, easing the squad’s depth concerns.
Supporters cherish home‑grown talent, and the prospect of losing Armstrong to a fellow Premier League side could strain the club‑fan relationship, especially given recent tensions.
Meanwhile, Everton are also targeting an ‘exceptional’ Sunderland star in a £20m deal, indicating a willingness to reinvest any proceeds from Armstrong’s sale.