Sunderland have submitted an enquiry to sign Aston Villa striker Cameron Archer in January, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Archer out of favour

The Walsall-born talent has found first-team opportunities hard to come by this season, having played just 44 minutes of league football under both Steven Gerrard and Unai Emery.

As a result, a number of clubs have now been alerted to his situation ahead of the winter market, and following a fresh update, the Black Cats are name-checked to be keen on bringing him to the Championship.

The Latest: Sunderland make Archer contact

According to Football Insider, Sunderland are among the clubs to have ‘made enquiries’ regarding Archer’s availability in the New Year.

Tony Mowbray’s side are believed to be ‘chasing’ the 20-year-old, although they aren’t alone in their pursuit, with several second-tier outfits ‘queuing up’ to take the striker on loan for the remainder of the season.

Emery must now ‘decide’ whether to keep him as a backup option at Villa Park or let him go out and get some regular minutes under his belt in 2023.

The Verdict: Potential advantage?

Despite there being multiple unnamed clubs interested in Archer, he shares the same agent as five players who are already at the Stadium of Light, which could give Sunderland an advantage in the race for his services.

The England under-21 forward posted eight goal contributions in 20 outings during his previous loan spell at Preston North End, which saw him hailed as ‘bullish’ by their manager Ryan Lowe.

The Black Cats are reportedly ready to sell Ross Stewart in January should he not want to sign a new contract, so Archer would be an ideal temporary replacement if the Scotland international departs the Stadium of Light.