Everton change their mind about Harrison Armstrong transfer after angry fan protests
Everton have reportedly called off a transfer that would have sent midfielder Harrison Armstrong to Nottingham Forest after fans showed strong opposition.
Journalist John Percy shared that Everton’s board decided not to sell Armstrong because of the fans’ reaction. The club had accepted a £35 million offer for him, but the owners decided to stop the deal, likely influenced by the supporters’ feelings.
David Ornstein from The Athletic added that Everton’s ownership, including chairman Dan Friedkin, made a united decision to keep Armstrong after long discussions on Saturday. They believe he is very important to Everton’s future and valuable as a homegrown player. It’s unclear if the money was a big factor before the fan backlash.
News of Nottingham Forest’s interest in Armstrong, a young England youth international, came on Saturday morning, just before Everton’s Premier League game at Bournemouth. Ornstein said Forest were exploring the move.
Everton fans were very upset about potentially losing one of their most promising young stars, who many expect to play for England soon. The situation reminded some of when Everton sold Wayne Rooney to Manchester United in 2004. However, Rooney was leaving for a top club, while Armstrong was linked to a team that finished lower than Everton last season.
Fans who traveled to watch the 1-1 draw with Bournemouth chanted for Armstrong and urged the club to stop the sale. Everton CEO Angus Kinnear was at the game. Insider El Bobble said Armstrong chose to play in the match, despite earlier reports that he wouldn’t.
After the game, Everton manager David Moyes hinted that the transfer decision was up to the club. When asked about the fans, he said, “You have to think about supporters; they aren’t always wrong. Managers have to make tough choices about players, but sometimes bigger decisions are made by the club. The club will do what they feel is best. If I said something to the fans, I’d remind them their manager is an Evertonian.”