Aston Villa: Unai Emery to hand Cameron Archer second chance as new transfer update emerges
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery will hand Cameron Archer a second chance at Villa Park during pre-season if Sheffield United are relegated, according to Alan Hutton.
The 22-year-old forward departed Villa in the summer transfer window, joining Sheffield United in a reported £18million deal [Sky Sports, 23 August] and has managed to score four Premier League goals in his first 22 league appearances.
Chris Wilder’s side currently sit bottom of the Premier League table and reports have suggested that Emery’s side will buy back the striker for a cut-price fee should the Blades slip out of the Premier League this season [Birmingham Live, 8 February].
While Hutton expects Emery to have a second look at Archer this summer, he admits that Villa may opt to sell the 22-year-old for a second consecutive summer to help them avoid breaching profit and sustainability rules.
“It will come down to who they’re looking at in the summer,” Hutton told Villa News.
“I think he’s a really good player and he’s got some attributes like Ollie Watkins a little bit. He’s got that really good pace, he’s a good finisher, he works ever so hard, he’s a constant nuisance. It’s just whether they see him as a real threat to Watkins up front.
“Has he got it in him to be a regular week in and week out? At this moment in time, I’m not so sure so I think they’ll assess all their options. He’ll come back in the summer, go away at pre-season and see how he does there, who are they looking to bring and how much do they have to spend?
“If they sell him, its all profit as he came through the youth system so all this factors into it. It’s all down to the player, they need to go and show the manager that they’re capable of coping with this situation.”
Can Aston Villa buy Cameron Archer back after Sheffield United transfer?
Villa will likely change their transfer approach massively depending on whether or not they qualify for the Champions League this season and that could ultimately define Archer’s future at Villa Park this summer.
If Emery is handed a war chest, he will almost certainly strengthen his frontline given the reliance on Watkins so far this season and that will likely see the 22-year-old pushed to the side as he was last summer.
Should Archer finish the season strongly at Bramall Lane, however, that may be enough to tempt Emery into sticking with the England youth international. So far, it seems as though no final decision has been reached yet.
In other Aston Villa news, Hutton has admitted that Paulo Dybala may be an option for Emery in the summer transfer window
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