Conflicting expert view on Leeds United Cameron Archer transfer pain reveals possible Elland Road reluctance

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Leeds United are set to miss out on the loan signing of Southampton attacker Cameron Archer with conflicting views on what the 23-year-old would have brought to Elland Road.

The England Under-21 international emerged as a credible target late in the January window as Leeds saw a loan offer rebuffed by the Saints.

Despite his limited likely playing time in the coming months, Southampton were not willing to let the youngster leave for Elland Road without their terms being met.

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Archer recently signed a long-term deal which runs until 2028 and remains a talented player, even if not a favourite of new head coach Ivan Jurić who has preferred Paul Onuachu in attack since replacing Russell Martin in December.

It was suggested the Premier League club would have entertained the idea of a loan with an obligation-to-buy if Leeds were promoted this season. However, that is likely to have been at a price point which far exceeded the spending power of most Championship clubs and would represent a chunk of the Whites’ summer spending already committed to a player who is yet to prove himself in the top flight.

Questions over Archer’s top flight capabilities are shared by Sheffield United reporter for the Star, Danny Hall. Having watched him throughout the 2023/24 season, in which the Blades were ultimately Premier League whipping boys, Hall recognises there is talent but perhaps not in a bottom-of-the-table scrap for survival.

“Cameron Archer’s time at Sheffield United was not particularly memorable but the season as a whole was completely forgettable so it’s hard to be too critical of his impact,” he told the YEP ahead of Monday night’s transfer deadline. “He scored a few goals, including a double on his debut and one against his [de facto] parent club Aston Villa, but playing up front for United in that season was a tough gig all round.

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“He was effectively on loan, returning to Villa if United were relegated, and towards the end of the season, when United’s fate was all but sealed, his application didn’t exactly shine through. But he certainly knows where the goal is, especially at Championship level, and would be another superb option in Leeds’ ridiculous squad that is barrelling towards an inevitable league title.”

While there were perhaps reservations over the striker’s application from the press box at Bramall Lane, there was little doubt of his ability in the division Leeds currently play.

It is a view shared by Preston North End reporter George Hodgson, who also spent a half-season following and charting the youngster’s campaign whilst on loan from Villa during 2022, in which he scored seven goals across 20 Championship appearances.

“At Championship level I would regard Cameron Archer as a top striker,” Hodgson told the YEP. “He was untested at the level when Preston signed him in 2022 but his composure and clinical nature in front of goal instantly made him a fan favourite.

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“He then showed that in a Middlesbrough shirt. Archer's game is in and around the box. He will work hard for the team and look to link play if he can, but covering big distances isn't really what he's about.

“He belongs in scoring positions; there is a real coldness to him when the chances come along.“

The difference in opinion perhaps reflects the difference in Archer’s performance between Championship and Premier League football, which is where Leeds seek to be come August.

Leeds’ decision to keep their powder dry this month was as uncompromising as it is unpopular. United were not keen to bend to the preferences of clubs to whom their targets belong.

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The view that an additional forward would serve as insurance in Leeds’ promotion push is a valid one and should Joel Piroe or Mateo Joseph sustain an injury which keeps them sidelined for a large portion of the next 16 league games, it will prove even more so.

While a £20 million obligation to buy Archer upon promotion to the Premier League would have been a statement to the rest of the division, statements do not necessarily win titles and could potentially hamper Leeds in the summer if the initial loan did not work out. After all, United have been there before with a January loan signing.

As disappointing a window it has been from a Leeds perspective, it must also be viewed through the lens that this team is as strong as any in the Championship, even with rivals strengthening over the past month.

Last weekend, Leeds demolished Cardiff City - a team on a seven-game unbeaten run - by seven goals, netted by six different scorers, including each of the starting front four and two attackers off the bench. They are an incredibly accomplished outfit at this level and the cost-benefit analysis of adding another potentially expensive element into the mix may well have delivered a verdict in the affirmative that this team will continue on their current course.

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