Everton Hierarchy Perform Dramatic U-Turn Over Harrison Armstrong After Fan Backlash

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·30 August 2026

Everton Hierarchy Perform Dramatic U-Turn Over Harrison Armstrong After Fan Backlash

(Photo by Jess Hornby/Getty Images)

Everton's owners, The Friedkin Group, has officially pulled the plug on a deal that would have sold 19-year-old midfielder Harrison Armstrong to Nottingham Forest, supposedly following a massive wave of fan opposition.

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According to reports from The Athletic, Nottingham Forest had advanced to late-stage discussions over a transfer package worth £40M plus a future sell-on clause. However, Everton’s board — led by Dan Friedkin and The Friedkin Group — made a unanimous decision over the weekend to keep the academy graduate on Merseyside, viewing him as a vital piece of the club's long-term project.

The Transfer Saga and Fan Reaction

Advanced Talks: According to David Ornstein, Forest had emerged as serious suitors on Saturday morning, bidding to make a shock permanent move for the England youth international midfielder.
Supporter Backlash: News of the potential departure triggered immediate and vocal anger across the Everton fanbase. Travelling Blues at the Vitality Stadium chanted Armstrong's name continuously throughout Saturday's 1-1 draw against Bournemouth, explicitly demanding the hierarchy refuse any deal.
Ownership Intervention: David Ornstien now claims the fan reaction served as a major factor in the decision to U-turn on the deal. Talks held late into Saturday resulted in The Friedkin Group pulling out of negotiations and reaffirming Armstrong's status as a core homegrown asset.

David Moyes on Matchday

Manager David Moyes addressed the situation after Saturday's match at Bournemouth, reiterating his desire to retain the squad's best talents and acknowledging the voice of the supporters:

"You always have to consider supporters; supporters aren't always wrong... I don't think we can afford to lose any players, certainly not our better ones."

Despite the off-pitch noise, it seemed a very deliberate act under the circumstances for David Moyes to select Armstrong in midfield against Bournemouth, despite Ornstein himself saying earlier that Armstrong would not be in the Everton squad. Armstrong put in an energetic 87-minute shift before James Tarkowski bagged a late stoppage-time equalizer to rescue a point for Everton.

Reality Bites for TFG?

The decision to retain Armstrong marks an important moment for The Friedkin Group early in their custodianship of Everton Football Club. The prospect that they would even consider selling one of Everton's brightest homegrown talents only intensified a deep distrust that has been building for a long time among many in the fanbase.

The Friedkin Group has been noticeable in its perplexing absence from any Everton game since the financially critical takeover from Farhad Moshiri's disastrous regime.

By finally rejecting Forest's £40M proposal, the board may be hoping to send a message that elite academy progression takes priority over short-term financial gains as the club builds towards its future. But the very thought that such a move was seriously considered in any event will remain a serious concern for many Evertonians.