In a recent report, The Athletic stated that Aston Villa striker Cameron Archer is on the radar of Watford this summer. It has been claimed that the Hornets have put the Villans striker on their wishlist during this summer transfer period.
Archer’s Impressive Loan Spell In The Championship Last Season
Archer enjoyed a decent loan spell at Preston North End in the previous campaign where he managed to catch the eye by putting in a few fruitful displays as the focal point of their attack. The talented frontman managed to score seven goals and secure one assist in 20 matches for Preston last season across all competitions.
The 20-year-old led the line well during his loan spell at the Deepdale Stadium as he averaged 2.3 shots, 0.8 key passes and 1.0 dribbles per game in the EFL Championship. He was even tidy with his link-up play in the final third after he completed 78.2% of his attempted passes in the second tier of English football (stats via whoscored).
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Should Aston Villa Boss Steven Gerrard Let Archer Leave This Summer?
Archer can be a decent finisher in the final third when he is playing with confidence on the field. He excels at creating space for himself to get a few shots in on target. The Walsall-born talent can even set up some meaningful openings for his teammates deep inside the opponent’s half. He can complete a few promising dribbles with the ball in the attacking end of the pitch.
At 20, Archer has got the potential to become a future star in English football. Hence, it makes no sense for Aston Villa head coach Steven Gerrard to let his young forward leave this summer.
The Villans should rather think about sending Archer out on loan once again so that he can secure regular game time and come back as a much-improved version of himself next summer. His current contract at Villa Park is set to run out in the summer of 2025, so there is no immediate pressure for Gerrard to cash in on Archer in this off-season.
