Cameron Archer is facing an uncertain future at Aston Villa with his contract expiring next year and a host of clubs lining up ready to agree transfers, according to Birmingham Live.
The 20-year-old has enjoyed his senior breakthrough this season after forcing his way into Dean Smith’s plans. But Archer has not featured in any of Steven Gerrard’s squads since the Villa Park outfit changed manager last month.
Smith handed Archer his first-team bow during a Carabao Cup tie with Crewe Alexandra in August 2019. But the striker did not feature in the Villans’ senior fold again until this August when he started and scored a hat-trick in their EFL Cup trip to Barrow.
Archer remained in the Aston Villa line-up for their Carabao Cup trip to Chelsea and scored in the September meeting. His display returned a Premier League bow against Manchester United three-days later, before further cameos at Tottenham Hotspur and Southampton.
The England U20 international played the final 19-minutes of Smith’s tenure away to the Saints on November 5. But Gerrard is yet to list Archer even on the Aston Villa bench since.
Archer now faces an uncertain future at Aston Villa with his contract expiring next June and clubs eying transfers. He would have his pick of suitors were the Walsall-born gem to leave.
Aston Villa should be loath to lose Archer as transfer interest builds
Archer recently changed agency, who will seek to resolve his contract or transfer situation at Aston Villa swiftly, as well. He may also leave Birmingham on loan next month if the Villa product puts pen to paper on new terms.
Aston Villa should be loath to lose Archer, given his bright start to senior football so far this season. But Smith’s exit has seemingly halted his progress at the club Gerrard now leads.
Smith gave Archer a chance to win his spot in the first-team in pre-season, and the Aston Villa gem seized the opportunity – and will likely need another opening to break back in.
“We were training in London in pre-season and he played in a behind-closed-doors game and scored a hat-trick,” Smith said, via the Daily Mail. “It certainly raised our eyebrows and made sure we didn’t forget him.”
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