Why The Friedkin Group pulled plug on Harrison Armstrong transfer despite bid accepted by Everton

Everton have backed out on selling Harrison Armstrong to Nottingham Forest.

The Blues were reportedly set to sell the 19-year-old to their Premier League rivals for up to £40million.

The academy graduate would have represented pure profit on the books for the Toffees.

Everton supporters made their feelings known on Armstrong's potential sale in their 1-1 draw with Bournemouth on Saturday.

It looks like that pressure has worked as the move now looks dead in the water after a new update was shared.

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Why did Everton make Harrison Armstrong U-turn after bid accepted?

Armstrong looks set to stay put with his boyhood club after the Blues pulled the plug on the deal.

The Telegraph's John Percy reported on Sunday that the transfer appeared to be off.

He stated that the L3 outfit had accepted a bid of £35million and gave the player permission to travel, with Forest getting written confirmation.

It is understood that the Friedkin Group made the decision to backtrack, with fan reaction playing a major part in that.

Why did the Friedkins pull the plug on Armstrong sale?

The impact of supporters can't be understated when it comes to Armstrong's future.

The Friedkins were ultimately confronted with a grim reality if they had gone through with a deal and sold the player, against David Moyes' wishes.

The supporters at the Hill Dickinson Stadium would have turned against them, that was evident from the chants on the South coast, which talked of riots if he was sold.

There is still work to do to repair the relationship, as fans feel betrayed by the ownership and their latest actions in the market.

Many feel that they are simply here for profit, and lamented the idea of asset stripping and selling the club's best talent for a quick buck.

Whether they can turn it around after the Armstrong debacle remains to be seen, it would probably help if the Blues make some encouraging signings in the coming days.

However, that will not fully ease the suspicion that now surrounds the ownership, given that they willing to sell the future star of the team.