Football League World
·3 Februari 2025
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·3 Februari 2025
Southampton’s move for Victor Udoh could help facilitate Leeds United’s pursuit of Cameron Archer.
Leeds United are set for a boost in their move for Southampton striker Cameron Archer, as the Saints are closing in on signing Royal Antwerp forward Victor Udoh.
According to journalist Adam Blackmore, Southampton’s impending arrival of Udoh “could help” Leeds land Archer ahead of the 11pm deadline.
The Whites find themselves in a promising position to return to the Premier League come the end of the season and are in search of fresh quality to help equip themselves for the hectic remainder of the Championship campaign.
With games coming thick and fast, Leeds will need as strong a squad as possible to avoid any slip-ups in their quest for top-flight football, and the addition of Archer to the group would surely supply them with enough ammunition to secure an automatic promotion place.
Daniel Farke’s outfit have desperately been trying to secure Archer’s services for the remainder of the season and have viewed the 23-year-old as a priority signing.
The Yorkshire-based club saw a loan bid rejected by the South Coast outfit last week, as Southampton were initially reluctant to part ways with the frontman mid-season, but the signing of Udoh has the potential to soften their stance.
With Southampton taking a step closer to signing Victor Udoh after agreeing a fee with Royal Antwerp, journalist Adam Blackmore has suggested this move could work in Leeds United’s favour to secure a deal for Cameron Archer.
Posting on X, Blackmore tweeted: “As per @FabrizioRomano, signing Victor Udoh from Antwerp could help Archer to Leeds move.”
Blackmore added that despite the fact Udoh is likely to be originally placed in Southampton’s academy upon signing, Southampton may be tempted to move Archer away in order to balance the books.
Blackmore posted: “It’s a numbers game - if Udoh comes in and Archer out it’s balancing squad and costs - Archer isn’t getting on the pitch anyway, so Udoh’s arrival is irrelevant to that aspect.”
Archer joined Southampton on a four-year contract last August, netting five times in 25 appearances in all competitions so far this season.
The former Aston Villa and Sheffield United forward hasn’t been favoured under Ivan Juric at St Mary’s, starting just one out of the last eight Premier League games and now going over three months without a goal in the top flight, last scoring at Leicester in October.
Leeds fans are sure to be excited that a move for Archer can get over the line come the end of the transfer window.
With the forward receiving limited gametime and the Saints strengthening in the forward department, it all points towards the striker making a move away from the South Coast.
Given Leeds are flourishing at the top of the Championship, Archer will face the pressure of helping to fire a side to promotion but he has every chance of regaining his confidence in front of goal immediately in a side recording victories most weeks.
A step-down to the second tier could be just what is required to get Archer playing his best football again, with an added source of goals having the potential to see Farke’s men steer well clear of the challenging Burnley and Sheffield United.