Cameron Archer spent 2022/23 on loan at Middlesbrough and the club’s stance on re-signing him has been revealed.
Michael Carrick took charge of Middlesbrough in October 2022, replacing Chris Wilder after a poor start to 2022/23.
Carrick had very limited experience in management before moving to the Riverside Stadium, only taking charge of Manchester United for a handful of games as the caretaker boss.
However, the ex-midfielder exceeded expectations in the first season, securing Middlesbrough a fourth-place finish in the Championship.
The Teessiders went on to lose to Coventry City in the play-off semi-finals but it was still a positive season for the club.
One of the key members of Boro’s first-team squad that year was Cameron Archer, who joined on loan from Aston Villa.
The striker formed a great connection with Chuba Akpom, going on to score 11 goals and provide six assists in 20 league matches.
Cameron Archer Middlesbrough return unlikely
After excelling on Teesside, Archer made a permanent move to then-Premier League outfit Sheffield United in the summer of 2023.
The 22-year-old was unable to replicate his form from the previous season in a struggling Blades side who have since been relegated.
Sheffield United agreed to pay £18m for the striker but there was a clause in the contract which meant he would return to Villa Park if the Yorkshire outfit were relegated.
In turn, the forward is back in the Midlands and his future is up in the air. Now, Northern Echo journalist Dominic Shaw has provided an insight into Boro’s stance on bringing Archer back to Teesside.
However, it is not good news for Middlesbrough fans who want to see Archer back at the club as Shaw claims a return this summer has always felt extremely unlikely.
It is added that the Englishman was not in the club’s thinking at the start of the summer because of how unlikely and difficult it would be to get a deal done.
The transfer fee required to sign Archer would likely be too much for Middlesbrough, while the player himself is understood to want to keep playing in the top flight.
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Middlesbrough still need striker despite Archer stance
Even if Middlesbrough do not view a move for Archer as viable this summer, they still need another striker in the current window.
Emmanuel Latte Lath goes in 2024/25 having scored 11 in his last 12 outings and will be Carrick’s main number nine.
Outside of Latte Lath, though, the North East outfit have limited quality options.
Josh Coburn only scored five Championship goals last term and if Boro want to be promotion contenders in 2024/25, they need another quality option who can rival Latte Lath or replace him if he picks up an injury.