Harrison Armstrong could be the long-term Idrissa Gueye successor Everton have been looking for.
The youngster has already made his Premier League debut for the club with Sean Dyche even hailing the youngster for the progress he’s seen him make on the pitch this season.
The midfielder has been in fine form for the Toffees’ youth setup this term and has chipped in with two goals in the six games he’s played.
Dyche shared his thoughts on the potential the 17-year-old has and even claimed that he thinks he has an “edge” over his academy teammates.
“I think Harrison has got the make up. He is still young, he is training with us virtually all the time,” he said to the Liverpool ECHO (22 November).
“His games programme is still with the Under-21s at times but I like what I am seeing with him and I think he has got the edge.
“He is getting what Everton is about, even from his little taste of it and being around it. He is the one at the moment who has come out of the pack.”
Why Harrison Armstrong could be the answer Everton have been looking for
Despite being just 17 years old, the midfielder is already regularly training with Everton’s senior squad and the fact he’s already played in the top flight is a testament to how good of a player he actually is.
As Dyche mentioned, it’s evident that his skill level is miles above those around him apart from maybe Roman Dixon who has also been called upon by the former Burnley boss this season.
The Toffees did bring Orel Mangala and Tim Iroegbunam to Goodison Park in the summer, but the form of Mangala has left a lot to be desired, and while Iroegbunam was solid at the start of the season, upon his return from injury, it’s not yet known whether he’ll hit the ground running in the same way.
Of course, 17 still feels far too young for Armstrong to become a mainstay in Dyche’s squad just yet but with the quality he possesses, it likely won’t be too long before we see that become a reality with loan moves already being mooted.
Idrissa Gueye is 35 years old now and will likely be looking to hang his boots up in the near future.
This means that the gap he leaves will need to be filled and, in reality, there’s not a better way for Everton to do that than by promoting one of their own.
Only time will tell what the future has in store for Armstrong but if his development continues as it’s started, the Toffees could eventually have a top-class player within their ranks.
