Nottingham Forest have made a £40m-plus move for Harrison Armstrong, with the 19-year-old Everton midfielder at the centre of one of the summer’s most ambitious bids. The offer is still being discussed, but the size of it says plenty about how quickly he has moved into first-team plans at Goodison Park. His contract runs until June 2028.

Forest's offer and Everton's stance

TEAMtalk reported that Forest have bid £40m plus add-ons for Armstrong, while BBC Sport said the club are preparing to offer £40m plus a potential sell-on clause. The structure is not identical across the reporting, but both versions point to the same basic picture: Forest are pressing hard and Everton are being asked to make a serious decision on a player they still rate highly.

BBC Sport also reported that Armstrong has already made 23 appearances for Everton, which is a sharp total for a 19-year-old. He started Everton’s 2-0 Premier League win against Crystal Palace and also started the Carabao Cup second-round win at Preston North End. That is a lot of senior exposure for a teenager, and it helps explain why Forest have moved early rather than treating him as a distant long-term punt.

Why this deal is so expensive

Armstrong’s age and contract length are the two obvious drivers here. At 19, he is young enough for Forest to view him as a long-term midfield signing, but Everton also have the security of a deal that runs to June 2028. That gives them leverage, and it is hard to see a bid of this size being discussed if he were not already part of David Moyes' immediate plans.

Everton are ninth in the current Premier League standings, while Forest sit 18th, so the move also fits the needs of two clubs heading in different directions right now. Forest need midfield help and are willing to pay for upside. Everton, meanwhile, have a teenager with 23 senior appearances and a contract that does not invite a quick sale.

The deadline is Tuesday, September 1, at 23:00 BST, which leaves Forest time to keep pushing. The key fact is straightforward enough: this is a £40m-plus chase for a 19-year-old Everton midfielder who is already under contract until June 2028.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →