Everton’s squad will be looking quite different next season – and many are predicting that Harrison Armstrong could be in it after a great spell on loan at Derby County so far.
Harrison Armstrong left Everton in the last transfer window in order to head out and get regular football.
He had made his debut for Everton early in the current campaign under Sean Dyche.
A handful of appearances followed, but the decision was taken to sanction a loan move for him, with Championship side Derby the club chosen to develop him.
Moyes told Armstrong to go out and enjoy himself – and he has certainly done that, catching the eye in most games he’s played so far.
Armstrong has regularly drawn praise on social media from Derby fans, and it is certainly a promising stint for him so far at Pride Park.
And now, there is word on the feeling back at Everton about the player.
Everton think Harrison Armstrong is ready to compete physically at the top level
Armstrong has played 10 times so far for Derby.
The youngster has quickly established himself as a regular a the the club, earning the trust of manager John Eustace.
He’s helped give the club a fighting chance against relegation, with the Rams currently sitting 21st in the table.
He stands to continue on in that midfield, and that will delight Everton – who already believe one thing about their young starlet.
According to The Athletic, Everton feel Armstrong is ready to compete at the top level physically now.
It is noted that Armstrong has also put on muscle since he went to Derby.
Armstrong wants to dominate, and against Burnley on Tuesday, The Athletic reported that Armstrong showed his physicality – ‘there were multiple occasions where he left a leg or arm in to make his presence known in challenges with Burnley players’.
Everton’s plan for Harrison Armstrong
So it’s all going swimmingly so far for Armstrong at Derby and clearly Everton are very encouraged.
There is also a bit of information in The Athletic’s piece regarding the plan for Armstrong.
It’s stated that the ‘most likely scenario is that Armstrong returns to Everton once his loan finishes after Derby’s final match of the season on May 3’.
He will then get a chance to stake his claim to be in Everton’s squad for 2025/26.
Everton remain very attentive to Armstrong’s development, and are ‘compiling game-by-game reports on him that can be accessed by coaching staff at all levels of the club’.
Tellingly, David Moyes was actually in attendance the other night to watch Armstrong against Burnley, along with his assistant Billy McKinlay.
So it’s clear from this that Armstrong is very much in the manager’s thoughts – it’s now on him to maintain the levels he’s showing, and impress as much as he can in pre-season.
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