How another loan move would benefit Aston Villa starlet Cameron Archer

After being named in the England Under 21’s squad for the first time, Aston Villa’s Cameron Archer and manager Steven Gerrard will have a decision to make ahead of this summer’s transfer window.

Archer has been highly rated for some time within the Villa ranks, and many fans have been calling for him to be involved in the first team in the near future.

But some fans sit on the other side of the fence, believing a full season out on loan in the second division would benefit the young forward greatly.

He spent the second half of last campaign on loan at Championship side Preston North End under a manager who has a close relationship with Steven Gerrard in Ryan Lowe.

A fellow scouser, Lowe has indicated a few times how his relationship with his long-term friend was a benefit in securing a deal for Archer last term and how he hopes a deal can be agreed to see the youngster return to Deepdale for another year.

After joining in late January following the arrival of Ryan Lowe at the turn of the year, Archer made an instant impact, scoring on his debut against Villa’s rivals West Brom, a moment which would’ve felt even sweeter for the boyhood Villa fan.

With Aston Villa being linked with some huge names in the transfer window, including Gerrard’s former Liverpool teammate Luis Suarez, the signing of a striker would make sense to then allow Archer another 12 months out on loan to pick up some invaluable experience and be given the opportunity to hit double figures for the season.

Archer went on to score seven goals in what was a decent return in his first spell of Championship football, including getting ‘goal of the season after writing his name into Preston North End folklore with a goal against arch-rivals Blackpool back in April.

The left-footed strike meant Archer joined the list of many people held as Preston North End legends who ‘put the ball in the Blackpool net, something Archer highlighted as his favourite moment during his time in Lancashire.

Towards the end of the season, the former Solihull Moors man also began to really link up with Preston forward Emil Riis. The two struck a real partnership towards the back end of the campaign, with North End scoring seven goals in the final two games and Archer linking up play brilliantly as Riis got a brace on the final day in a 4-1 win over Middlesborough.

‘Lancs Live’ revealed last week that Archer remained North End’s main priority ahead of the window which opens on June 10, and Ryan Lowe told towards the end of the season that Archer had said if he was to be allowed out on loan again in 22/23, Preston would be the place he would prefer to come.

After the striker became an instant fan’s favourite, the Lancashire side appears to be a club on the up ahead of the new season. They’ve seen a surge in season ticket sales after putting on a brilliant deal to benefit the supporters, and a signing like Archer could boost those sales even more.

With on paper, arguably one of the best midfields in the league, a strike force of Emil Riis and Cameron Archer could set the Lilywhites up for a very successful 2022/23.

Whether Aston Villa and Steven Gerrard choose to remain hold of Archer and use him as a spare part in their Premier League side next year remains to be seen, but it’s been made very clear by Preston officials that they feel it is best for Cameron’s development to see him have another successful year at Championship level before he is completely ready to make the step up to the top division.

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