The Friedkin Group told how they got lucky with major U-turn that ‘would have hurt Everton’

Former Arsenal striker Alan Smith said Everton's owners got lucky by calling off the sale of midfielder Harrison Armstrong to Nottingham Forest. Everton chairman Dan Friedkin intervened to halt a proposed £40 million transfer following fan backlash after a 1-1 draw at Bournemouth on August 29. Smith stated that selling Armstrong would have hurt the club significantly given manager David Moyes' depleted squad.

Following multiple deadline-day exits that raised over £100 million, Moyes was left with only 18 outfield first-team players. Armstrong has since started all five of Everton's Premier League fixtures this season and featured in a 4-0 Carabao Cup win against Preston North End, earning an England Under-21 call-up under Lee Carsley.