Southampton, Aug 16 : Southampton FC have confirmed the signing of forward Cameron Archer from Aston Villa on a four-year deal, the Premier League club announced on Friday. The talented young forward, 22, arrives at St Mary's to boost Russell Martin's attacking options at the dawn of the 2024/25 Premier League campaign.

A graduate of the Villa Academy, Archer scored a hat-trick on his first senior start in a 2021 EFL Cup tie, before enjoying successful loan spells in the Sky Bet Championship with Preston North End and Middlesbrough.

After helping England win the European Under-21 Championship alongside captain Taylor Harwood-Bellis last summer, Archer departed Villa Park for Sheffield United, tasting regular football in the Premier League for the first time.

The striker returned to the Midlands in June, featuring heavily in pre-season, and now joins with the Saints squad in time to travel with the team for the season opener at Newcastle.

'I'm really excited to be here. I had a good chat with the gaffer. Obviously, he told me everything I needed to hear. That was one of the main reasons why I'm here, his playing style, his coaching and his trying to improve me as a player. It's not a bad place to do that in the Premier League with Southampton," Archer said in a statement.

'I just want to keep scoring goals and improve myself as a player, and I don't think there's a better place to do that than with Southampton," he added.

Martin said: 'Cameron is a really exciting young talent with huge potential to improve, and we're really delighted to add him to the group in time for our first game back in the Premier League. He's had a really good pre-season ' he's sharp and ready to go.

'He's a constant threat with his pace and ability to score goals and will have learned a lot from playing regularly in the Premier League last season. Now it's up to us to help him develop and showcase how good he can be at this level."

Southampton will start their Premier League campaign against Newcastle at St. James' Park on Saturday.

/IANS