Cameron Archer has golden opportunity to prove worth to Aston Villa and Unai Emery after England U21 news drops
The upcoming Euro 2023 Under-21 Championships present a golden opportunity for Cameron Archer to prove his worth to Aston Villa manager Unai Emery ahead of the forthcoming Premier League season.
The academy graduate, who spent the second half of last season out on loan at Middlesbrough, has established himself as one of the most prolific young strikers in the country but still struggled to assert himself as a first-team option at Villa Park.
During his six-month spell under Michael Carrick, the 21-year-old bagged 11 goals and six assists from 20 outings.
This impressive form has been rewarded by England Under-21 manager Lee Carsley, who named Archer, alongside fellow Villan Jacob Ramsey, in his 26-man squad for the upcoming Euro 2023 Under-21 Championship.
The pair have been preparing at St. George’s Park this month as part of a preparation camp for the tournament in Romania and Georgia and have now been confirmed in the final ranks ahead of their first game against the Czech Republic on Thursday, June 22.
The European tournament will feature top talents from across the European game, providing Archer with the perfect opportunity to test himself against some of the best prospects in the game.
The high-stakes nature of the tournament will not allow him to gain confidence but also show that he can handle the pressure and rise to the occasion when the spotlight is firmly on him.
With Emery expected to delve into the summer transfer market for further options to support Ollie Watkins in attack, the Englishman could quickly find himself down the ranks once more if he doesn’t prove his worth at the Euro’s and in pre-season.
From the Spaniard’s point of view, the youth tournament serves as the perfect scouting ground to monitor the striker’s progress and evaluate his performances against top-quality opposition.
Villa will be in need of numerous options in attack next season after their qualification for the Europa Conference League, so Emery will be crossing his fingers that Archer can deliver the goods and continue to leave a goalscoring trail in his wake.
A strong showing in this tournament could catapult the ex-Boro loanee into the spotlight and open the door to regular game time at Aston Villa in the near future.
In other Aston Villa news, this transfer is now off after a “terrible” turn of events.