Southampton fired Cameron Archer to West Brom transfer warning - £15m factor mentioned | OneFootball

FLW's Saints Fan Pundit shares his thoughts on the 24-year-old striker making a possible switch to the West Midlands

West Bromwich Albion are eyeing Southampton striker Cameron Archer this summer, but Saints have been warned they won’t get anywhere near the £15m they paid for the 24-year-old less than two years ago.

In truth, the Baggies have wasted little time getting their transfer business underway at The Hawthorns, with James Morrison's side moving quickly to reshape their forward options ahead of the 26/27 Championship campaign.

They got things rolling by signing striker Barney Stewart from Falkirk for around £1.3m and then a day later landed Chelsea forward Jimmy‑Jay Morgan on a four‑year deal for £4m.

With two attacking players already through the door in the Black Country, attention has now turned to whether Archer will be the next to follow.

Southampton fired Cameron Archer to West Bromwich Albion warning

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Firstly, said transfer link came from journalist Steve Tudgay, who claimed that West Brom are in the queue for Southampton's ‘unsettled’ Cameron Archer.

Archer arrived on the south coast in August 2024 in a £15m deal from Aston Villa, signing a four-year contract and joining as one of the more highly-rated young English forwards in the country at the time.

The England Under-21 international had previously enjoyed loan spells with Preston and Middlesbrough before a permanent move to Sheffield United, and rejoined Villa via a buy-back clause after the Blades were relegated from the Premier League.

One of our Southampton Fan Pundits, Louis Harris, admitted his stance on a possible Archer exit has shifted in recent weeks - despite the forward only scoring four league goals last term.

Harris told FLW, "If you asked me before the news of Ross Stewart leaving I would’ve welcomed the idea of Archer moving away.

"But as it stands, we are currently very light in the striker department. There’s no doubt that he’s able to score goals at Championship level but it just hasn’t worked out since joining Saints. He does look extremely low on confidence as well.

"However, saying that, he did have a bit of a flurry of goal involvement towards the end of the season. So, maybe there’s still hope yet.

"I think the club are well aware that if he does leave, they’re probably only likely to see half of the £15m that they paid for him."

Ross Stewart, Saints’ top scorer last season with 11 goals in 33 matches, was confirmed as one of seven players departing St Mary's after the club failed to finalise an extension to his contract.

That exit leaves Southampton noticeably short of proven goalscorers heading into the new campaign, which goes a long way to explaining why Harris is now second-guessing the prospective Archer move.

How West Brom and Southampton fans have reacted to Cameron Archer transfer talk

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A change of scenery and a run of games could yet help Archer rediscover the form that made him such a sought-after talent in the first place, and one West Brom fan thinks he's 'exactly' what they need.

Another Albion supporter described this potential move as 'make or break' for the 24-year-old, who 'hasn't had a good season since 22/23'.

From a Southampton perspective - in similar fashion to what Louis Harris said - one Saints fan doesn't think Albion can afford Archer.

Someone else said they'd be willing to drive him to The Hawthorns.

It remains to be seen whether any concrete offers from the Baggies will be made, and how much Southampton maybe willing to accept.