David Moyes Reveals Everton Transfer Dilemma Manager Battled With This Summer

David Moyes has revealed the transfer dilemma he battled with this summer at Everton – and why he ultimately came to a decision on Harrison Armstrong.

Moyes has been seriously impressed by the 18-year-old in pre-season for the Toffees and handed him some game time in the Carabao Cup victory over Mansfield back in August.

The problem for the Scottish boss was whether or not he felt the kid was ready to really compete to play this season in the first team with plenty of bigger names and players ahead of him in the pecking order.

Everton spent on transfers this window and brought in some central midfielders in the summer transfer window where they splashed out £25million on Chelsea’s Kiernan Dewksbury-Hall and another £12m on Carlos Alcaraz of Flamengo in Brazil’s Serie A.

Armstrong would eventually be farmed out on loan to Preston North End in the EFL Championship, but Moyes did admit that it was not a decision he took lightly.

David Moyes considered keeping Preston loanee Harrison Armstrong at Everton

The 62-year-old instead made the call based on the fact that he felt the young midfielder can still improve and will have the time to learn at Deepdale to return to the Hill Dickinson Stadium a better player with more experience in the men’s game.

“I could have kept Harrison but I didn’t know if he was ready to be a starter yet,” he said, as quoted by the Liverpool Echo.

“I thought he played really well against Mansfield, he’s played well in a couple of games he’s been in. But I actually thought that another 15, 20 games in the Championship would be another stage.

“He’s 18 years old, there’s one or two very talented 17-year-old players playing in the Premier League at the moment, but in the main… he’s young for a midfield player.

“And he’s still got a bit of physical attributes to grow into. So I’m hoping that Preston’s a good base for him, I believe it is, and he gets some game time and comes back stronger again.”

Armstrong’s career history at Everton so far

Armstrong is certainly considered a talent at his parent club and will be expected to make a splash eventually in the blue.

His chances at Everton this season, while having senior players ahead of him, may have still been there due to a lack of depth for Moyes’ troops.

Tim Iroegbunam, James Garner and Idrissa Gueye are in the position now but Gueye has the African Cup of Nations with Senegal to consider later this year.

Garner has also been used at left-back as deputy for Vitalli Mykolenko at times and that has left Moyes and his side struggling to cope with the midfield demands.

The teen is an England youth international with under-19s and 18s caps and he has previously had a loan stint at Derby County.

He played 15 times for the Rams.