Everton may have decided to keep Harrison Armstrong, but the fallout from the proposed sale is far from over.
While many supporters will be relieved that the 19-year-old midfielder is staying at Everton, the circumstances surrounding the dramatic U-turn have left some fans deeply concerned about the club’s ownership.
The Friedkin Group ultimately decided against selling Armstrong to Nottingham Forest, with The Athletic’s David Ornstein reporting that the decision was unanimous and that chairman Dan Friedkin was personally involved.
But that hasn’t erased the fact that Everton had accepted a £35 million bid for one of their most promising young players.
For some supporters, that is the real issue.
‘Red lights spell danger’
Over 37,000 Everton fans are currently browsing the Grand Old Team forum and the reaction has been particularly strong, with some Everton fans now questioning whether they can trust The Friedkin Group‘s intentions.
One supporter summed up the mood bluntly:
“Too many warning lights with these now. You can hope for the best, but don’t stick your head in the sand.”
Another questioned the ownership’s decision-making:
“Don’t trust them or the CEO. The fact a low ball bid was accepted and then they had a last minute change of mind, is a total PR disaster.”
There is a growing sense among some supporters that the Armstrong episode has provided an uncomfortable glimpse into how the club could be run in the future.
‘Why are we so desperate to sell?’
The financial aspect of the proposed deal has also frustrated supporters.
One fan questioned why Everton appeared so willing to sell Armstrong given the relatively modest level of spending on incoming players:
“We’ve spent about 50m this summer. Absolutely nothing in Premier League terms. I want to know why we are so desperate so sell one of our best players after such a low spending window.”
That question is likely to linger.
Armstrong is just 19 and had begun to establish himself around David Moyes‘ first-team squad. Selling him for £35 million would have generated a significant profit on an academy player, but it would also have meant sacrificing a player who could potentially become considerably more valuable – both financially and on the pitch.
Who actually sanctioned the sale?
Perhaps the biggest unanswered question is who decided to accept the Forest bid in the first place?
Ornstein’s report makes clear that The Friedkin Group ultimately decided to keep Armstrong, but supporters still do not know precisely who drove the initial decision to accept Forest’s offer.
One fan raised that very issue:
“The trouble is I’m not sure we’ll ever know who truly drove the decision to accept the offer. Was it TFG, or Kinnear/committee? Major red flags now either way.”
That uncertainty matters.
If the decision came from ownership, it raises questions about The Friedkin Group‘s plans for Everton.
If it came from the footballing structure below ownership, then questions will inevitably be asked about how the club’s transfer strategy and decision-making process operates.
Either way, supporters are entitled to want greater clarity.
Not everyone is turning on the owners
Some supporters have taken a more forgiving view of the saga, pointing out that The Friedkin Group ultimately recognised the situation and stopped the sale.
One fan admitted:
“Err yeah scrap everything I said before, not a good look that they sanctioned the move but they at least had the common sense to do a u turn about it, which most owners probably wouldn’t.”
That is an important counterpoint.
Everton have kept Armstrong.
The owners listened to the situation, reconsidered the deal and ultimately decided that the youngster should remain at the club.
But the fact that some supporters are now focusing more on the initial acceptance of the bid than the eventual U-turn tells its own story.
The Armstrong episode has changed perceptions
The Friedkin Group arrived at Everton with significant goodwill.
After the turmoil of the previous ownership regime, many supporters were prepared to give the new owners time to establish themselves and believed the club had finally found a more stable future.
The Armstrong saga has clearly tested that patience.
Comments on the Grand Old Team forum include supporters who now say they are “done” with the ownership and that the club’s “true intent” has been revealed.
Others have described the situation as a warning sign rather than an isolated mistake.
One supporter put it particularly starkly:
“Acting like typical American venture capitalists.”
Whether that criticism is fair or not, it demonstrates the level of suspicion that has developed.
And that is perhaps the biggest problem for The Friedkin Group.
Opinion: The red lights are flashing
The Armstrong U-turn is good news. The fact the deal got this far is not.
Everton cannot expect supporters to ignore what happened simply because the final decision was the right one.
A £35 million offer was reportedly accepted.
Armstrong was given permission to travel.
Forest received written confirmation.
Then, after deliberations involving The Friedkin Group and Dan Friedkin, the decision was reversed.
That is an extraordinary sequence of events.
The obvious question is: why was the offer accepted in the first place?
Everton supporters have spent years watching promising players leave and seeing the club struggle to build something sustainable.
Armstrong represents precisely the sort of player Everton should be trying to develop, not simply sell whenever a substantial offer arrives.
The club needs to demonstrate that its strategy is about more than balancing the books and generating transfer profits.
The warning lights are therefore flashing.
Perhaps this was simply a serious error of judgement that was corrected before it was too late.
Perhaps it was evidence of a transfer strategy that supporters will increasingly find difficult to accept.
We don’t know yet.
But Everton fans will certainly be watching what happens next.
And after the Harrison Armstrong saga, trust in The Friedkin Group is no longer something they can take for granted.
Now, where’s that f-ing right back?!