£15m Southampton FC star could be set for exit - Middlesbrough, Norwich, and Preston must make their moves ASAP | OneFootball

Cameron Archer could leave Southampton before the end of the month, with imminent Championship interest

Cameron Archer could be on his way out of Southampton before the end of the winter transfer window, having struggled for minutes with the Saints this campaign.

As per Alex Crook via X, Southampton are willing to let either Adam Armstrong or Archer leave the club before the end of the window, with interest in both players mounting.

Southampton are said to be on the hunt for another centre-forward before the window slams shut, with Archer having fallen out of favour at St Mary’s this season.

The 24-year-old has played just over 600 minutes of Championship football this season in 19 appearances, with the bulk of those coming from the bench, scoring twice without assisting.

The Aston Villa academy graduate was once one of the hottest prospects in the second tier, having joined the south coast side in a reported £15 million deal, though now, his career has somewhat stalled, and FLW has identified three teams that could offer him an imminent escape route out of Southampton.

Middlesbrough

Middlesbrough appear to be on the hunt for another option at centre-forward before the end of the window, having most recently been linked with a move for Auxerre forward Lassine Sinayoko, among numerous other Championship clubs.

Boro have made three additions to the squad so far this month in the forms of Leo Castledine, Finley Munroe, and Jeremy Sarmiento, but they don’t look to be quite finished there, as head coach Kim Hellberg looks to stamp his authority on the side.

With Delano Burgzorg looking increasingly likely to depart The Riverside before the end of the month, another option in the final third may be required, albeit Boro are not exactly short of options in that area of the pitch; the quality of player is the only doubt.

Though Boro are among the top scoring sides in the division, having netted 13 times in their last four league games alone, a striker may not necessarily be a necessity.

The addition of someone like Archer, however, would surely be a popular one, with the Englishman having previously thrived for the club on loan during the second half of the 2022/23 campaign, scoring 11 and assisting six in 22 league games.

Archer has proven he knows where the net is at Championship level, and Middlesbrough could offer him the perfect escape route and platform to return to the form he is clearly capable of hitting.

Whether Boro would be able to afford Archer in a permanent deal remains to be seen, though a loan deal with an option to buy may be the best avenue to explore for both clubs. With Boro in the midst of a promotion battle, should they find themselves in the Premier League next season, they would then certainly be able to afford him.

Norwich City

Norwich City’s season has been something of a rollercoaster thus far, with the disastrous tenure of Liam Manning seeming like a distant memory.

Philippe Clement’s arrival at Carrow Road has coincided with a huge upturn in form and performances, lifting the Canaries out of the relegation zone as things stand.

With just days of the window remaining, it looks as if it’s going to be a busy one in Norfolk, with Josh Sargent’s future still up in the air after the American has angled for a move to MLS side Toronto FC, whilst the Canaries have targeted Bodo/Glimt striker Kasper Hogh with an €8 million (£7 million) bid, as per Fabrizio Romano.

Should Sargent indeed leave as he wishes, and the Hogh deal collapses, Archer could be the perfect alternative in that instance.

At just 24, the former England youth international still possesses an abundance of ability and is a more-than-capable striker at this level; he is just lacking the confidence as things stand.

Clement has done an excellent job at lifting spirits around Carrow Road and getting the best out of players who were previously underperforming, something which he could absolutely replicate with someone like Archer at Norwich.

Preston North End

Another former club of Archer’s, Preston North End find themselves challenging for a top-six finish this campaign under the guidance of Paul Heckingbottom.

In a summer which relied heavily on free transfers and loans, Heckingbottom has done a superb job of having the Lilywhites competing as high up the table as they are, but they have proven to be good value for money.

Preston have never been big spenders throughout their history, and that’s highly unlikely to change before the end of the window, putting a permanent deal for someone like Archer in doubt.

Archer spent the second half of the 2021/22 campaign on loan at Deepdale, in what was his first taste of Championship football in his career, and scored seven goals whilst grabbing one assist in 20 league games.

A return to the place where he first really made a name for himself could be a poetic one, offering competition for the likes of Daniel Jebbison, Lewis Dobbin, Michael Smith, and Militun Osmajic up top.

Heckingbottom was the man who signed Archer for Sheffield United in an £18 million deal just two-and-a-half years ago, and should look to reunite with the 24-year-old by any means necessary before the window slams shut, in what would be a huge boost for Preston’s promotion hopes.