Everton have moved to keep hold of highly-rated midfielder Harrison Armstrong after fan pressure forced the club to shelve a potential £40million sale to Nottingham Forest, while the Merseyside club edge closer to re-signing Jack Grealish on a permanent basis.
Forest had been pursuing a deal for the 19-year-old, whose performances have made him one of the most sought-after young talents in English football. News of the club's willingness to consider a sale sparked immediate anger among Everton supporters, who made their feelings known during the recent 1-1 draw with Bournemouth by chanting in support of Armstrong staying at Goodison Park's successor, the Hill Dickinson Stadium. Fans reportedly warned there could be a "riot on their hands" should the club sanction his departure.
Manager David Moyes appeared to echo the sentiment of the terraces, publicly stating that Everton simply cannot afford to let their most promising players leave the club. His comments came as pressure mounted on the board to reject Forest's advances and retain a player many view as central to the team's long-term ambitions.
While Armstrong's future has been secured for now, Everton's business elsewhere in the transfer market continues to move at pace. The club is reported to be in advanced discussions with Manchester City over the return of Jack Grealish, a player who left a lasting impression during his loan spell at Everton last season.
Grealish, 30, spent the 2024-25 campaign away from the Etihad Stadium on loan and quickly became a fan favourite, capturing the Premier League's player-of-the-month award in August before a serious injury cut his season short in September. His impact during that brief period appears to have convinced Everton's hierarchy that a permanent reunion is worth pursuing.
The England international, who City signed for a club-record £100million in 2021, was a key figure in the Treble-winning side of 2023 but saw his role diminish significantly over the following two seasons. With Grealish now entering the final year of his contract at City, a permanent switch to Everton would bring his five-year spell at the Etihad to a close.
Everton's transfer activity does not end there. The club is also working to bring back forward Richarlison from Tottenham Hotspur, hoping to reunite the Brazilian with the club where he first made his name in the Premier League. Meanwhile, Iliman Ndiaye's proposed move in the opposite direction — from Everton to Tottenham — is reportedly nearing completion, suggesting a busy period of incoming and outgoing business for the Merseyside club as they reshape their squad.
Taken together, the developments paint a picture of a club attempting to balance the retention of academy talent with strategic reinforcements from proven Premier League performers. Armstrong's continued presence, coupled with the prospective arrivals of Grealish and Richarlison, would represent a significant boost for Moyes as he looks to build a squad capable of competing higher up the table.
For now, attention turns to whether Everton can finalize the Grealish deal and complete the swap involving Richarlison and Ndiaye, moves that could define the club's approach to squad building for the season ahead.
Based on reporting from The Independent.