Exclusive: West Brom "concern" raised after Everton transfer miss | OneFootball

Lee Hendrie feels that it was concerning that Preston managed to beat the Baggies to the England U19 international

Former Aston Villa midfielder Lee Hendrie was quite shocked that Preston North End managed to beat out interest from fellow Championship side West Bromwich Albion to the loan signing of Harrison Armstrong.

The 18-year-old arrives at Deepdale with plenty of promise, having played a big part in Derby County's surge to avoid relegation at the back end of last season, and was seemingly in David Moyes' wider plans for the Premier League outfit this year.

Armstrong made matchday squads in each of the opening three top-flight games this term, and starred in their EFL Cup second round, assisting both goals against Mansfield Town in a Man of the Match display.

It's a big capture for Paul Heckingbottom's side, who have begun the campaign in a different vein of form to how they ended last season, winning a couple and drawing one of their first four league games.

However, EFL pundit Lee Hendrie feels that, under Ryan Mason, West Brom are more likely to find themselves challenging at the right end of the Championship than Preston are, so he felt it was a slight concern for the Baggies that they lost out on their midfield target.

Lee Hendrie reacts to Harrison Armstrong joining Preston North End

"I think they would have been unhappy, the Baggies, at missing out on Harrison Armstrong," Hendrie said in an exclusive interview with Football League World.

"The one thing Ryan Mason wants is to try to bring new faces through the door.

"You'd imagine that is what tempted him to the club. To try and turn things around and bring in quality players in doing so."

Armstrong, despite his age, proved in the short time he spent at Derby last season that he has huge potential and the ability to push himself to be one of the key men in a promotion-challenging team.

Therefore, choosing Preston felt like a strange choice in Hendrie's eyes, and he felt that the Baggies would be frustrated at the decision.

"Preston managed to beat them over the line, which is a concern if I'm honest," he continued.

"You look at both clubs, and West Brom would really have a big chance to push up the table. They've got new ideas with Ryan, and the fact they've missed out on him is a massive blow, as he's someone who could have given the Baggies something different for sure.

"It'd have been a good opportunity for him to get games at a good level in the Championship, and whilst I'm not saying that Preston aren't at West Brom's level, you just feel that there might be less pressure on him at Preston, rather than at West Brom, where he'd be expected to do a hell of a lot more.

"That might be one of the reasons, but West Brom will definitely be gutted that they didn't get hold of him."

Harrison Armstrong has a chance to shine at Preston North End

There's no doubt that there'd have been pressure on Armstrong at West Brom to perform to the standard expected for a side pushing for a place in the top six, you'd imagine, but at Preston, who narrowly avoided relegation last season, there's a different type of pressure.

Whilst Armstrong would have been brought to the Hawthorns to help bolster the quality already there in the middle of the park, at Deepdale, the youngster will likely be one of the first names on the teamsheet in his position.

Therefore, he has a starting spot that he has to protect, and the pressure of having to face quality Championship opposition week in week out is found more at Preston than it is at West Brom.

For a young loanee who is likely to want to push for a place in the Everton squad next season, it really doesn't matter where the club you join on loan is projected to finish, as long as you're getting minutes against Championship opposition.

Armstrong will get more of those minutes at Preston, and whilst the Lilywhites aren't expected to make a push for the play-offs this season, it may be just the right place for the 18-year-old to progress to the next level.