Why Preston and West Brom must already hate Southampton’s transfer decision | OneFootball

Preston and West Brom were linked with moves for Southampton's Cameron Archer before the forward joined and enjoyed an excellent start with Auxerre

Preston North End and West Bromwich Albion have endured almost polar opposite beginnings to the 2026/27 Championship season, but both will be feeling similar envy already after Southampton’s late transfer decision.

After seven games, Preston and West Brom sit at the opposite ends of the Championship table.

With just one win and six defeats so far, Preston have become the first club to part ways with a manager this season, dismissing Paul Heckingbottom after over a century of games in charge at Deepdale.

Only Burnley, on goal difference, are keeping them off rock-bottom as things stand, as sitting 11 points ahead in third place is James Morrison’s West Brom side.

The Baggies have continued the good form they had shown under the former Scottish midfielder towards the latter stages of last campaign, and though the moods will be different around the two grounds at the moment, both may be sharing similar transfer envy already.

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Both Preston and West Brom didn’t exactly hold back in the window over the summer, as the Lilywhites broke their transfer record to sign Alfie Devine from Tottenham Hotspur, as well as bringing in each of Johnny Kenny, Harry Clarke, and Stanley Mills.

West Brom, meanwhile, brought in each of Toby Collyer, Kareem Tunde, Felix Horn Myhre, and Jimmy-Jay Morgan for reasonable fees, but both clubs missed out on one primary transfer target in the form of Southampton’s Cameron Archer.

Archer, 24, had fallen out of favour at St Mary’s under Tonda Eckert, and an exit this summer always seemed inevitable. Despite this, the Jamaican’s future remained unclear until the very final stages of the window.

According to Alan Nixon's Patreon, Preston had held an interest in Archer over the summer after losing each of Milutin Osmajic, Michael Smith, Daniel Jebbison, and Lewis Dobbin, whilst West Brom had been interested in a move.

However, Archer would join French side Auxerre on loan instead, and after seeing his start to life in his new country, both Preston and West Brom must already be feeling some transfer envy.

Cameron Archer has had an excellent start to life in France with Auxerre

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Upon his move to Auxerre, Archer, in turn, reunited with former Saints boss Will Still, and was handed his full debut immediately, scoring in his first game for his new club in a 3-1 defeat away to Lyon.

Now, in his second game, Archer has found the back of the net once again, being trusted from the start by Still, who has been duly rewarded by his faith in the Jamaican, who netted the winner in the 87th minute in a 1-0 home win over Nice.

Archer had shown his potential of hitting the ground running in loan spells with the Lilywhites and Middlesbrough previously, and has adapted to Ligue 1 seamlessly, as those at Preston and West Brom must be looking on with envy right now.

Why Preston North End and West Bromwich Albion wanted Cameron Archer

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Archer, at 24, has shown his capability of consistently finding the back of the net at Championship level in loan spells with Preston and Middlesbrough previously, with it being no surprise that clubs in the English second tier were keen to take him on loan.

Preston, having lost the aforementioned four strikers over the summer, have brought in Jusef Erabi, Delano Burgzorg, and Kenny, though it would be difficult to argue, at this stage, whether they are notable upgrades on last campaign's forwards, as Archer almost certainly would have been.

West Brom can boast Aune Heggebo, Morgan, and Barney Stewart as options up top, but with those having very little Championship experience between them, Archer would have made up for that and then some, and provided further competition in that area.

Despite his struggles at Southampton, Archer is clearly a more than capable goalscorer in the right side and system that plays to his strengths, and both Preston and West Brom surely would have done so.

Both Preston North End and West Bromwich Albion would love Cameron Archer despite varying positions

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Even though they sit at different ends of the table as things stand, it would be difficult to suggest that neither side could do with Archer in their ranks.

West Brom's hopes of finishing in one of those top eight places would take a significant boost with Archer at their disposal, whilst Preston may not find themselves towards the foot of the table if they had Archer in their squad.

However, both will have to make do without the Aston Villa academy graduate for the year, as they will surely be watching on his success in France with envy.