Former Everton manager Sean Dyche has weighed in on the meteoric rise of midfielder Harrison Armstrong, backing the teenager to reach the pinnacle of the game while addressing the controversial transfer interest from Nottingham Forest.
Armstrong, who has become a focal point of David Moyes’ current Everton side, was the subject of intense speculation during a tumultuous transfer period. Reports that ownership group The Friedkin Group (TFG) were considering selling the academy graduate to Nottingham Forest sparked immediate and widespread outrage among the Goodison Park faithful. The backlash from supporters—culminating in a vocal protest during an away fixture at Bournemouth—ultimately forced TFG to scrap the proposed move.
Dyche, who handed Armstrong his senior debut as a 17-year-old during the 2024 Premier League campaign, remains one of the midfielder’s biggest admirers. Speaking on The Overlap Fan Debate, the former Blues boss expressed little surprise that top-flight clubs were tracking the youngster’s progress.
“He’s a good player; I gave him his debut. I think he’s got a really strong chance of becoming a real top player,” Dyche said. “It’s still early, but I can see why clubs were sniffing, and why Forest made the cheeky approach.”
Armstrong’s development has been a rare bright spot for Everton in recent seasons. After gaining valuable experience on loan at Derby County and Preston North End, he was recalled to Goodison Park last January. Following injuries to senior midfielders Christian Norgaard, James Garner, and Merlin Rohl, Armstrong seized his opportunity, becoming a mainstay in the starting XI.
While acknowledging the player’s immense talent, Dyche also offered insight into why the club’s hierarchy might have entertained the idea of a sale. Everton has spent the last few seasons navigating the stringent pressures of the league’s Profit and Sustainability Regulations (PSR), and the sale of a homegrown player represents a “pure profit” boost for accounting purposes.
“Maybe, because of PSR and the history of Everton’s homegrown talent, they thought it was a bundle of money for PSR and all that,” Dyche explained. “I’m not saying they were never going to get him, by the way, with Forest being the club chasing him, but he’s got every chance. I’m pleased he stayed there.”
Reflecting on his own tenure at the club—a period defined by points deductions and off-field uncertainty—Dyche admitted it was the “hardest job” of his career but one he looks back on with a sense of pride. Having weathered constant media scrutiny and mounting pressure, the former manager remains clearly invested in the success of the academy products he helped bring through the ranks, insisting that for Armstrong, the best is yet to come.
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