Everton Halt Harrison Armstrong Sale After Supporter Backlash

Everton have called off a proposed deal to sell midfielder Harrison Armstrong to Nottingham Forest following opposition from the club's supporters. BBC Sport reported on Sunday that the 19-year-old will remain with Everton after the possible transfer generated a forceful response from fans.

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According to the BBC report, Forest had offered 40 million pounds for Armstrong, with the proposal also including a potential sell-on clause. Everton's board subsequently reached a unanimous decision to keep the England Under-19 international at Hill Dickinson Stadium rather than proceed with the move.

Supporters made their position clear during Everton's draw at Bournemouth on Saturday. They sang Armstrong's name throughout the game and warned there would be a "riot" if the midfielder were sold. The reaction followed reports that Forest were attempting to take one of Everton's most highly regarded young players away from the club.

Armstrong started the Bournemouth match and played 87 minutes before Charly Alcaraz replaced him. BBC Sport said he has now made 24 appearances for Everton, having developed through the club's Finch Farm academy and established himself as one of its leading recent prospects.

Everton manager David Moyes addressed the supporters' frustration after the game. He said fans had to be considered and were not always wrong, while also noting that powerful decision-makers at clubs sometimes have to make difficult calls. Moyes added that he expected Everton to make the choice its leaders believed was right and reminded supporters that their manager is an Evertonian.

The board's decision ends the proposed Forest move as it stood on Sunday. It also leaves Armstrong at the club where he developed, after a weekend in which both his place in the team and the depth of supporter backing for him were visible. No transfer had been completed, and the reporting concerned a proposed deal that Everton chose not to advance after its internal discussions and the public response from supporters. BBC Sport attributed the reversal to the backlash surrounding the planned sale.