Forest prepare £40m bid for Everton ‘rising star’

Nottingham Forest are preparing a £40m bid for Everton’s highly rated teenage midfielder Harrison Armstrong as they look to strengthen their squad before the summer transfer window closes.

Forest are ready to offer £40m plus a potential sell-on clause in an ambitious attempt to convince Everton to part with the 19-year-old England Under-19 international.

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The proposed deal would represent a major decision for Everton, who are yet to indicate whether they would accept an offer for one of their most promising young players.

Armstrong is regarded as one of the brightest products of Everton’s academy and has already made 23 appearances for the club. He started in Everton’s 2-0 Premier League victory over Crystal Palace last week, further highlighting his growing importance to manager David Moyes.

Forest’s interest is understood to be genuine, with the club keen to add further quality to their squad before the transfer deadline. A £40m package would be a significant investment in a player who is still only 19 but is considered to have considerable potential.

The possibility of Armstrong leaving Everton is likely to concern supporters, who view him as one of the club’s most exciting home-grown prospects in years. Losing him to Forest, a club Everton would expect to compete with, could prove particularly difficult for the fanbase to accept.

Everton’s American owners, The Friedkin Group, would face scrutiny if they decided to sanction the transfer, especially as Moyes has repeatedly called for more reinforcements to improve his squad.

Moyes made his frustration clear after Everton’s 4-0 Carabao Cup victory over Championship side Preston on Wednesday, when he stressed the need for further additions before the transfer window closes.

The situation has become even more complicated with Everton’s main creator Iliman Ndiaye attracting reported interest from Manchester City. Allowing Armstrong to leave at the same time could raise further questions about Everton’s ambitions and their plans for the future.

Forest’s proposed approach therefore presents Everton with a difficult choice: accept a substantial £40m offer or keep a player they believe could become an important figure for the club in the years ahead.

With the transfer window approaching its conclusion, Everton must now decide whether the financial value of Forest’s proposal outweighs the sporting value of retaining their highly rated young midfielder.