Leeds United are crying out for a striker, with manager Daniel Farke likely knowing that the acquisition of a key number nine could fix plenty of his current problems.
Who are Leeds United signing this summer?
It has been a profligate start to the season for the Whites, having enjoyed 62.7% possession and averaged 16 shots per game in their first three Championship games, but are yet to win, via Sofascore.
It is clear they are lacking the man up front to simply put the ball in the back of the net.
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Therefore, it will have pleased fans to see their reported interest in Aston Villa’s Cameron Archer, amidst a £10m bid having been submitted by Sheffield United.
The Midlands outfit are holding out for £20m for the 21-year-old, whose presence up front could turn those efforts on goal into tangible opportunities.
How good is Cameron Archer?
One player in particular that could benefit from the presence of such a powerful, pacey partner up front is Daniel James, who has enjoyed a surprisingly impressive start to the campaign despite his faltering start to life at Elland Road.
He currently has just 44 appearances for the club under his belt since his £25m switch from Manchester United, but has scored just four goals.
The Wales international fared no better on loan at Fulham, having scored three in just 23 games there.
However, with a 7.27 average rating in the league in the three opening games, he has provided a potent attacking threat down that left flank amidst the profligacy, averaging 2.3 key passes per game, via Sofascore.
The 25-year-old dynamo only has one assist to his name though, providing chances for unproven forwards and makeshift strikers.
Should those opportunities be falling to Archer instead, these figures would surely skyrocket to incredible levels with someone so proficient there as a focal point.
Just last season saw the England U21 international enjoy a stellar loan spell at Middlesbrough, scoring 11 and assisting a further six across just 20 Championship appearances.
With talent scout Jacek Kulig having lauded him as “incredibly prolific” for this spell, EFL pundit Clinton Morrison supplemented such claims for his performances the year earlier:
“Archer, that’s four games and two goals, he’s been outstanding to be fair, he’s been brilliant. His all-round game today was brilliant. What I like about him, he always shifts it, he wants to have a shot.”
Standing at 6-foot but with a turn of pace to keep most centre-backs honest, his mere presence within Farke’s team would afford additional space to the wealth of attacking options, including James.
This could allow him to truly showcase his starring attributes, that of which have been somewhat missing since his lucrative move to west Yorkshire.
Owen Hargreaves did outline these back in 2021, noting after one fine showing:
“His pace, his willingness to run behind, I think the Sociedad defenders couldn’t believe how quick he was. They probably thought they were going to catch him and in Spain, someone might square this or cross this, but he was too quick.”
Then, should the opposition instead opt to push up to quell the threat of the speedster, he could help thread Archer in behind with the threat he poses in that position.
It is monumental how big of an impact this one acquisition could prove to be, and Farke should spare no expense in ensuring his next signing is one at the very least at the quality of the young marksman.