Aston Villa forward Cameron Archer has withdrawn from England’s under-20 squad, as per LancsLive.
The Lowdown: Archer on loan at Preston
The 20-year-old has enjoyed a fine first season at senior level, scoring four times in five senior Villa appearances before the January transfer window.
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Villa then decided to loan him out to Championship side Preston North End, where he has continued to score with relative ease. The forward, who was labelled ‘fantastic’ by Lilywhites boss Ryan Lowe, has netted five times in 12 Championship appearances at Deepdale.
That form earned Archer a call up to England’s under-20 squad to take on Poland and Germany, but he has now pulled out of Andy Edwards’ 22-man panel.
The Latest: Illness for Archer
As reported by LancsLive’s George Hodgson, Archer has withdrawn from the young Three Lions squad due to illness.
They relayed the news from Preston North End’s official website, which didn’t specify whether the illness was related to the global pandemic.
The Verdict: Unfortunate
This latest update is extremely unfortunate for the Villa forward, who was set to be rewarded on the international stage for his fine displays at club level.
It will be a worry for both Villa and Preston chiefs as well, but hopefully Archer will be able to make a swift return following the international break.
Preston’s next game is a trip to Derby County on April 2, so fingers crossed that the 20-year-old will keep up his record of featuring in every game for the Lilywhites since joining them towards the end of January.
In other news: ‘Brilliant…’ – Ashley Preece buzzing as Aston Villa announce another ‘long-term deal’
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