Have West Brom dodged a bullet with Southampton transfer snub amid £35k-a week claim? | OneFootball

FLW's West Brom fan pundit has given his verdict on the club's decision to snub a deal for Cameron Archer last summer

West Brom turned down the chance to sign Cameron Archer from Southampton during the summer transfer window.

It has been reported by The Telegraph that the Baggies were unwilling to meet the Saints’ demands to pay his full £35,000 per week wages as part of a possible loan deal.

The forward instead signed for French side Auxerre on a temporary basis, having fallen down the pecking order at St Mary’s, meaning a reunion with former Saints boss Will Still.

The 25-year-old has made a promising start to life in Ligue 1, scoring in both of his first two fixtures for the club, including the winner in a 1-0 victory against Nice.

Meanwhile, Albion have made a solid start to the new Championship campaign in their own right, with James Morrison’s side at the top end of the table.

However, it could still be perceived as a missed opportunity to not sign Archer after seeing his performances in France.

Cameron Archer decision is the financial reality at West Brom

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When asked about the decision not to sign Archer, FLW’s West Brom fan pundit Callum Burgess claimed that it was probably always a non-starter due to these wage demands from Southampton.

He believes that the club are now sticking to a strict financial plan, and that this is the reality going forward for the Baggies, which makes a signing like Archer not feasible.

“I wouldn’t really consider it a bullet dodged, the links were probably more of a non-starter than we were led to believe,” Burgess told Football League World.

“If Albion were able to align with Southampton once they dropped their financial demands, so then Albion would be able to get

Archer within the limits of their financial means that they’re sticking to very strictly now, then Albion would’ve gotten themselves a decent striker, as he’s shown at Auxerre now.

“I don’t really hold any grudges on Albion missing out on him because they know they have to be very careful with their finances now, and aren’t going to make any risks.

“Because for all we know they could’ve signed a striker for £35,000-a-week and then Archer may not have been as firing as he is for Auxerre now.

“So obviously they know the realities of what they’re working within now.”

Archer made 30 appearances in the Championship last season, but started on only 11 occasions, with Tonda Eckert’s side reaching the play-offs.

The 25-year-old contributed four goals and three assists, but it wasn’t enough for him to remain a part of their first team plans for this campaign, with the likes of Cyle Larin and Divin Mubama aheadof him in the pecking order..

This led to his temporary exit from St Mary’s late in the summer market, with the player having a contract with the Saints until June 2028.

West Brom’s summer business was perhaps lacking one more striker

West Brom completed 10 signings in the summer transfer window, including a permanent deal for Toby Collyer from Manchester United after a previous loan spell with the club.

Felix Horn Myhre, Kareem Tunde and Rabby Nzingoula were among some of the other additions, while Barney Stewart and Jimmy-Jay Morgan bolstered their forward options.

However, Stewart and Morgan only added to the one other centre-forward option at Morrison's disposal, with that being Norwegian striker Aune Heggebø.

Morrison has often played a 4-4-2 formation, whilst also sometimes switching to a 4-5-1 away from home, but the two up-top system could see Albion a striker short for the first half of the campaign - especially if the aforementioned Stewart doesn't prove to be up to Championship level, having arrived from Scottish outfit Falkirk.

Cameron Archer decision may still have been wise from West Brom

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Even though a new striker before the September 1 deadline would've been ideal, West Brom have to be shrewd in the transfer market now because of their financial picture, and paying £35,000 per week for Archer would not have been smart.

The forward certainly has good Championship experience, but he hasn’t shown enough to suggest he’d be worth that kind of salary for Morrison’s side.

Instead, they have brought in the likes of Stewart and Morgan, and the Baggies have enjoyed a promising start to the new season.

While Archer has performed well in his first few appearances for Auxerre, there’s no guarantee he would’ve been a success at the Hawthorns.