Nottingham Forest submitted a £40m bid for Everton midfielder Harrison Armstrong, prompting strong opposition from the club’s supporters during a 1-1 draw at Bournemouth. The 19-year-old England Under-19 international has been identified as one of the club’s most promising academy graduates and made 24 appearances for the Toffees this season.
Everton manager David Moyes responded to fan protests by acknowledging their perspective, stating that supporter viewpoints merit consideration. However, he indicated that ownership ultimately determines personnel decisions and referenced historical examples of unpopular transfers made by previous club leadership. Moyes emphasized his role as a manager who shares the club’s heritage, telling supporters “their manager’s an Evertonian.”
The potential sale comes at a frustrating time for Moyes, who has publicly expressed disappointment with the club’s limited transfer activity during the current window. He made clear his desire for reinforcements following a Carabao Cup victory earlier in the week. The situation is further complicated by interest from Manchester City in creative player Iliman Ndiaye.
Moyes also criticized the timing of the transfer window, suggesting it should close before the season begins. He stated this overlap between ongoing matches and open transfer activity creates unnecessary speculation and disruption, particularly when valuable players face potential departures.
The transfer window for Premier League and EFL clubs closes on 1 September at 23:00 BST. The handling of Forest’s approach may prove significant for both ownership’s ambitions and the relationship between management and the fanbase.
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