Aston Villa are reportedly set to agree a loan move to Middlesbrough for Cameron Archer, but the club aren’t interested in a permanent departure.
Archer, 21, has struggled for playing time so far this season as he has totalled just 52 minutes of football in seven appearances across all competitions.
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While there was initial excitement about the decision to keep him in the squad last summer, his lack of football since has been far from ideal at this stage of his career in terms of his development and progression.
In turn, a loan move would make sense, and while that appears likely to happen this month, Villa are said to have resisted any option of a temporary exit becoming a permanent one.
According to The Northern Echo, Middlesbrough will finalise a loan move for the talented striker this week as he’s set to undergo a medical on Wednesday ahead of joining them for the rest of the season. However, it’s added that Villa weren’t interested in the idea of selling Archer now, nor will there be a clause in the loan agreement that will give them an option of a permanent switch in the summer.
Time will tell if the situation evolves in the coming months for that to become a realistic option for all concerned, but for now, the report above would suggest that Villa ultimately have absolutely no intention of letting go of Archer beyond a loan move.
That is reassuring given how talented the youngster is and there is a real sense that he could have a big future ahead of him in a Villa shirt further down the line.
Given the success of his loan spell at Preston North End last season, this touted move makes sense for him to gain experience and develop his all-round game. Hopefully, he’ll then have a chance to prove himself to Unai Emery in the summer and make a strong argument in favour of being part of his plans for next season.