After Aston Villa confirmed the permanent exit of Cameron Archer on Sunday as he joins Sheffield United, there was a mixed feeling in response to the news.
As per the club’s official statement, Archer has now departed on a permanent basis, and it ends a brief but promising stint at Villa where hopes were high over the 21-year-old.
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Having made a positive impression at youth level, he added to the growing optimism with a memorable hat-trick against Barrow in the Carabao Cup in 2021 as well as a goal away at Chelsea in the following round.
Loan stints at Preston North End and Middlesbrough followed as he continued to impress, while he also delivered at U21s level for England as he showed real promise.
With the departure of Danny Ings in January and the lack of further signings up front, a path was seemingly being cleared for Archer to make his mark this season, having also featured prominently over pre-season to suggest that he would provide depth and competition behind Ollie Watkins.
However, speculation over his future has ramped up in recent weeks, and Unai Emery has been clear on what he feels is the best approach for both the club and player, as he noted in his pre-Burnley press conference on Friday.
“Cameron Archer, Aaron Ramsey, Jaden (Philogene) because they are young players, they can develop a lot in their career,” Emery said, as quoted by the Athletic. “But we are having a very good offer for them and we are letting them to go and trying to keep under our control the possibility of them coming back because we believe in them but we know now they need to play minutes, take confidence and here maybe they are not going to have the same opportunity like they can have playing in other teams.
“We are selling them because as well for us economically it is good, but always trying to control them and follow then their progress like we think they can do. Then, of course, they are increasingly the level we are thinking, they can be again with us coming back.”
With David Ornstein reporting earlier in the week that the deal for Archer is worth £18.5m, and a buy-back clause has been included in the agreement, the strategy adopted by Villa becomes more understandable and sensible.
Not only do we receive a significant fee for a youth talent that has barely featured at senior level to boost our financial position, but we maintain that element of control over his future with the ability to bring him back if he impresses at Sheffield Utd.
Further, it works out for the player too as he gets a better opportunity to play a significant role at the top level to develop his game, and if he impresses enough, perhaps we’ll see him again in the future.
In an ideal world, we’d see all our top youth products make the breakthrough and play an important role for us in the first-team squad. We’ve seen how crucial that is with Jacob Ramsey, and it’s always great to see one of our own make it.
Nevertheless, the financial benefits that these exits bring coupled with how it ultimately works out best for all concerned, with Villa now arguably in a strong position to bring in further reinforcements capable of making a more immediate impact for Emery, it is ultimately a smart strategy from the club hierarchy, led by President of Football Operations, Monchi.
It’s in everyone’s best interests for Archer, Ramsey and Jaden Philogene to flourish, if the latter also seals a move away as expected, and if they’re good enough and Emery believes they would be a good fit in his plans having proven themselves, the door is still open for a reunion further down the line.
