Chelsea are facing the decision to cash out or keep Armando Broja as interest continues to build in him from Italian and English clubs.
A little about the topic
The Hammers are leading the race to sign the Blues striker for £30m but they must face competition for the sought-after youngster before any deal can be completed. The likes of Everton, Atalanta and Napoli are also keen on the young player who wants the promise of regular first team football at any club he represents in 2022-23. The Magpies, Milan and Inter have also shown interest in Armando Broja, but they are not preparing for the imminent approaches to the frontman who impressed during his loan spell with the Saints last season.
The Blues’ preference is to wait and discuss Broya’s future in preseason, with Tuchel keen to take a look at the striker. True, there are no assurances from the coaching staff or the club that Armando will get the opportunity to prove his worth. The Cobham academy graduate is only being offered the opportunity to compete for a spot on friendly dates that will see Chelsea travel to the US.
There are also fears that while Lukaku is on the cusp of securing a loan return to the Blues, Inter may be looking to bring attacking reinforcements this summer – with Man City star Sterling among those under attack. The combination of these factors has left Armando debating whether his future might lie away from Stamford Bridge, but the player is under contract until 2026 and his parent club continues to have a strong hand in any negotiations.
Achievements of Armando Broja in recent years
Few strikers in English football have played as many games as Armando in the last few seasons. In 2021-22, while at the Saints, Armando Broja took 38 outings across all competitions – registering nine goals and one assist. This goal is not huge, but after turning 20 during the last campaign, he was the youngest striker to regularly start in the English top flight. Those feats came at the end of the season at Vitesse in 2020-21, where Armando was the top teen surveyor in Europe with 11 goals and three assists across 34 games.
In addition, Armando Broja has become increasingly important to the Albanian national team and has amassed 14 appearances for them to date. Even with solid grounding behind them, the Blues are one of the most powerful clubs in Europe and Armando faces fierce competition for places from top internationals. Many attacking units in west London – including Werner, Pulisic and Ziyech – were disappointed last season due to a perceived lack of minutes. This shows how difficult it is to become a regular starter in the blues and Armando Broja now has to consider his options.