West Brom left 'fuming' after Everton transfer miss - Preston North End were the winners | OneFootball

West Brom missed out on a deal for Everton's Harrison Armstrong, with the midfielder joining Preston on loan.

West Brom were interested in signing Everton’s Harrison Armstrong, but they were beaten to a deal for the midfielder by Preston.

It was a busy summer for the Toffees as they geared up for their first full season under the new ownership, with David Moyes overseeing a major overhaul of the playing squad.

Therefore, there were doubts about Armstrong’s future, with the 18-year-old academy graduate impressing throughout pre-season for Everton.

Preston beat West Brom to loan move for Everton’s Harrison Armstrong

Despite that, with Everton bringing in midfield reinforcements, it was decided late in the window that Armstrong could go on another loan, and it was announced that Preston had signed the England youth international.

However, in a fresh twist, journalist Alan Nixon revealed that Albion were keen on Armstrong, but they were ‘fuming’ to find out that North End had stolen a march on them, with the deal for the player at an advanced stage.

As a result, Armstrong finalised the switch to Deepdale, and he is now set to complete the remainder of the season with Paul Heckingbottom’s side, where he is sure to play a crucial role.

Harrison Armstrong is a statement signing for Preston

Even though he is only 18, Armstrong is a real talent, and there are high hopes for the player at Everton in the years to come.

Plus, the versatile midfielder has already had a taste of Championship football, having done very well at Derby County after signing for the Rams in January, and that should ensure he is ready to hit the ground running for North End.

Given his quality, it’s no surprise that Preston had competition for his signature, so all connected to the club deserve credit for getting this deal over the line quickly.

Armstrong can play in different midfield roles, and he will add energy and drive to the middle of the park, and he could quickly become an important figure in Heckingbottom’s XI.

As for Albion, it is a missed opportunity, as Armstrong could’ve developed well under Ryan Mason, and he would have given the team another quality option to pick from.

Nevertheless, 10 points from four games shows that West Brom have enough in their ranks right now, so he will feel confident that he still has a group that can push for promotion before they reassess in January.