Preston North End handed boost as Everton make Harrison Armstrong decision | OneFootball

Everton are not planning to recall midfielder Harrison Armstrong from his loan spell at Preston North End in January.

Everton reportedly have no plans to recall midfielder Harrison Armstrong from his loan spell at Preston North End in January.

That's according to TEAMtalk, who claim that Everton are not currently planning to cut Armstrong's time at Preston short in January, instead believing that spending the entire season at Deepdale would be the best option for his development.

Armstrong spent the second half of last season on loan at Derby County, where he scored one goal in 15 appearances as the Rams avoided relegation, and his impressive performances at Pride Park caught the eye of a number of Championship clubs.

Derby were said to be keen to bring Armstrong back for a second loan spell this summer, while Blackburn Rovers and Hull City were also among his suitors, but Preston won the race for the 18-year-old's signature, with Everton manager David Moyes opting to send him to the club where he spent over four years in charge between 1998 and 2002.

Armstrong has made nine appearances for the Lilywhites so far this season, including starting the last six games, and he has helped his side emerge as surprise promotion contenders in the second tier, with Paul Heckingbottom's men currently sitting sixth in the table.

Everton's stance on recalling Harrison Armstrong from Preston North End revealed

Given the way Armstrong has starred at Deepdale, Preston supporters have been growing increasingly concerned about the prospect of him being recalled in January, while some Everton fans have even called for him to be given a chance in their first team.

Moyes is known to be a big admirer of Armstrong, and after his return from his loan spell at Derby this summer, he was included in the Toffees' squad for their pre-season tour of the United States.

Armstrong started Everton's 2-0 win over Mansfield Town in the EFL Cup in August, providing assists for both of his side's goals, while he also came on as a late substitute in their 2-0 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League, but he was allowed to join Preston on loan on the final day of the summer transfer window.

Moyes admitted that the decision was made as he was unsure how much game time Armstrong would receive at the Hill Dickinson Stadium this season, while he also claimed that the England Under-19 international has "still got a bit of physical attributes to grow into".

With Idrissa Gana Gueye set to be unavailable during the month of January due to his involvement in the Africa Cup of Nations with Senegal, talk had been gathering pace about a potential recall for Armstrong, but Everton are not believed to be considering that option as things stand, unless they suffer a midfield injury crisis over the next few months.

Armstrong recently revealed that he has "really enjoyed" his time at Preston so far, and it looks as though he will get the chance to remain at Deepdale for the rest of the season and help North End continue their unexpected promotion push.

Everton, Harrison Armstrong reveal will be a big relief for Paul Heckingbottom and Preston North End

Preston only narrowly avoided relegation from the Championship last season, but signings like Armstrong have been one of the main factors behind their sudden rise up the table this campaign.

Despite being just 18 years of age, Armstrong has added plenty of class and quality to the North End midfield, and it is easy to see why Everton may have been considering bringing him back to Merseyside in January.

However, Heckingbottom has a strong track record of developing talented loan players, with the likes of Tommy Doyle and James McAtee previously thriving under his tutelage at Sheffield United, so it makes sense for the Toffees to allow Armstrong to continue working with him for the remainder of the season, and the latest update will come as a big relief to Lilywhites supporters.