Emery confirms Aston Villa’s transfer stance on ex-Boro loanee Archer
Unai Emery has seemingly confirmed reports that Cameron Archer will leave Aston Villa this summer, but has suggested any sale would have to include a buy-back clause.
While Emery has to this point suggested that Villa’s lack of options up top meant Archer would be unavailable this summer following a successful loan spell at Boro, reports from the Athletic earlier this week suggested they were now open to a sale. And while Emery has not ruled out that possibility, he says Villa want to keep the player ‘under their control’.
While that opens the possibility that Archer might leave the Midlands club on loan again this summer, rather than permanently, there is also the option for Villa to sell Archer, but include a buy-back option in the deal. That’s something they’re doing with Archer’s fellow Boro loanee Aaron Ramsey.
Ramsey also excelled at the Riverside in the second half of last term, and that form is earning him a Premier League move as a deal with Burnley said to be worth £14 million is close to completion. Crucially for Villa though, the sale of Ramsey includes an option for them to buy him back in the future.
READ MORE:Aston Villa are ‘open to a sale’ of former Middlesbrough loanee Cameron Archer
Asked about Archer’s future amid the Athletic report, the Spaniard said: “He played very well last year at Middlesbrough. He scored goals and his level increased. We are with Ollie Watkins, Jhon Duran and him in the squad. Duran is still injured but he is coming back next week and hopefully we can add him in two or three weeks after working with us.
“With Cameron Archer we were playing him in pre-season and we were thinking it could be a possibility to let him go and play and continue improving his level in another club. Actually, he is our player and we want to keep him under our control always because we believe in him.
“Sometimes the plan that we have to do with them, or him in this case, is to try and help him to continue taking time and minutes and confidence in another club. We have always two options, sometimes on loan, sometimes selling them. We are analysing each case individually and trying to get the best option.”
While Boro would love to re-sign Archer this summer, such a possibility appears increasingly unlikely. Our sister site Yorkshire Live have learned that Archer features prominently on Sheffield United’s summer wishlist, as does Chuba Akpom, with the Blades looking to reunite the Boro pair who pushed Paul Heckingbottom’s side close in last season’s Championship promotion race.
Never miss a breaking story again. By subscribing to Teesside Live’s Boro newsletter, you’ll get daily updates with the biggest news, breaking transfer stories and best analysis on all things Leeds United.
It’s easy to subscribe, and if you don’t like it, you can unsubscribe at any time. Just head here to see our newsletter options.
Click here to subscribe to Teesside Live’s Boro newsletter
Story Saved
You can find this story in My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.
