Nottingham Forest have launched a £40m bid to sign Everton midfielder Harrison Armstrong, with boss Oliver Glasner suggesting the club could bring in up to three players before Tuesday's transfer deadline.
The 19-year-old, who has started Everton's first three games of the season including this afternoon's Premier League clash at Bournemouth, is understood to be the subject of the offer from the Midlands club.
Forest, who drew 2-2 at Liverpool in the Saturday dinnertime kick-off, have already signed Chelsea striker Liam Delap, a player targeted by Everton boss David Moyes, and are attempting to wrap up a deal for Crystal Palace right-back Daniel Munoz.
Fan reaction to Armstrong bid
The potential departure of Armstrong, regarded as Everton's top young talent, would go down dreadfully with supporters. Ahead of kick-off against Bournemouth, travelling Evertonians made their feelings known by singing: "Don't sell Armstrong, Harrison Armstrong, I just don't think you understand... If you sell Armstrong, Harrison Armstrong, you're gonna have a riot on your hands".
Quizzed on Forest's interest in Munoz and Armstrong, Glasner said after his side's match at Anfield: "Could be more! I have no idea because we just played and am also full of emotions, because it was a very intense game for everyone."
He added: "Let's see. I'm very confident we find and add the right profile of players and right characters. But everyone involved in today's game deserves to be talked about. Players worked really hard and they deserve all the credit and the full attention."
Glasner confident on signings
Glasner also said: "Wednesday evening I will have a pint of beer and celebrate the transfer window being closed. Every manager will do exactly the same." He added: "It will definitely be one, potentially two and probably three (signings)."
The move for Armstrong comes with Everton already braced for a battle to keep hold of key man Iliman Ndiaye and with the club still yet to sign a right-back.
Speaking before the opening game of the season, which Everton won 2-0 at home to Crystal Palace, chief executive Angus Kinnear, present for this afternoon's match at Bournemouth, said: "There's still a lot to be done. I think we're in a good place. We're not behind where we thought we would be. It's always our objective to get our business done early but the challenge is to get the absolute best players we can in the position. So our metric is by the close of the transfer windows we've achieved that and got the best player in the position."
On a new right-back specifically, Kinnear said: "I don't think we're in a bad position on that. The options we thought we had available are still available to us. I don't think they're going to be there for our first game against Crystal Palace, which was the objective, but I think the idea is we have the very best player for that position come the end of the window."
