Transfer News: West Ham keen to sign Chelsea striker Armando Broja
According to Spanish outlet Sport (h/t Sun), David Moyes is very keen on bringing Chelsea loanee, Armando Broja, to West Ham United. The Albanian striker has been making waves at Southampton this season and the Hammers boss is said to be very impressed by him.
West Ham are also apparently willing to offer Chelsea £25million for the forward. However, it could be a difficult deal for the Hammers to pull off, with Tuchel apparently reluctant to part ways with such a talented player. Ralph Hasenhuttl of Southampton is also said to be keen on keeping the player for at least one more season, if not sign him permanently.
Chelsea gave their forward a new 5-year contract before loaning him out to Southampton, which clearly indicates that they rate him highly and see him as a part of their future. According to reports in Italy (h/t Sun), the Blues will not accept anything below £70million for the forward, even if they consider selling him.
Broja has been a revelation for The Saints this season, playing in a front-two alongside Che Adams. The 20-year-old striker has scored an impressive 9 goals in 27 games for Southampton across all competitions. The Albanian is an out and out striker who thrives on constantly making runs in behind the defence. At 1.91m, Broja is also a threat in the air and has done well to replace Danny Ings at the Saint Mary’s, after the Englishman’s move to Aston Villa.
The striker has won 10 caps for the Albanian national team, scoring 3 goals in the process. With so much potential at such a young age, it is fairly evident as to why many Premier League clubs are keen on him. The interest in Broja does not stop with England, with German giants Bayern and Dortmund also monitoring the young striker.
A replacement for Antonio?
The Hammers have Michael Antonio leading the line for them and the Jamaican international has been in great form, scoring 8 goals and assisting a further 7 in the Premier League this season.
However, the West Ham striker is 31-years-old and may not be around for too long. Broja, at 20, could future-proof their attack in that regard. They also don’t possess a lot of backup in the number 9 position, and that could see them offer Broja playing time if they manage to sign him in the near future.
Should the Blues sell him?
Chelsea have a plethora of forwards but Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner are their only two natural striking options. Werner has been a shadow of the player we signed from Leipzig while Romelu Lukaku has blown hot and cold since his return to Stamford Bridge from Inter Milan last summer.
At 20, Broja could be an ideal candidate to lead our front line in the future. With proper management and development, the Albanian has the potential to become a very prolific goal scorer for us.
We also saw Tammy Abraham and Olivier Giroud leave the club last year. That has already freed up a spot for Broja if he is to play in our Blue jersey next season. It is important that we look out for the future and not just focus on the present. Selling Broja, especially to a local rival like West Ham, may not be a move that goes down well with our fans.
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If the 20-year-old striker continues on the same path, Chelsea will feel vindicated with their decision to keep him. In that regard, it seems confusing as to why we let him leave on loan, to begin with this season. But perhaps, we placed too much trust in Lukaku and Werner, and Broja, meanwhile, has made the most of his opportunities at Southampton.