‘Nothing decided yet’ – Unwanted Chelsea star still looking for new club
Chelsea striker Armando Broja is fully expected to depart Stamford Bridge on a permanent deal this summer, but where he will go is still very much up in the air.
The Albania striker, 22, who came through the Blues academy, has struggled to establish himself as a key player at the club, making just 26 Premier League appearances and scoring two goals.
Interest is reportedly high, but journalist Fabrizio Romano has said French club AS Monaco, who had been heavily linked, have not advanced in their pursuit.
Broja on the move
Broja has a strong reputation in England after an impressive loan spell at Southampton in the 2021-22, scoring eight goals for the St Mary’s club. But the stagnation in his development back at his parent club hasn’t helped him, and he failed to impress in a January loan move to Fulham.
He failed to score in just eight appearances for the Cottagers, somewhat being outshined by the superb form of Brazilian striker Rodrigo Muniz, who scored eight goals in eight games at one stage.
In an exclusive interview with The Athletic published last week, Broja himself admitted he may need to leave Chelsea this summer.
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“Nothing has been decided yet, but if I need to go somewhere else to get back in my groove, then of course I would want to do that.
“As a player, there is no better feeling than being on the pitch and knowing you have a club and a team who defends you; a club who allow you to make mistakes because they know you will become something.”
Although the Blues do not seem in urgent danger of any Profit and Sustainability rules breaches, any sale of Broja would represent 100% profit and therefore provide a major boost, just as Mason Mount’s move to Manchester United did last summer.
The price tag on Broja’s head is £50m with the likes of West Ham have been linked previously. Chelsea are set for another summer of transition after Enzo Maresca left Leicester to take over from Mauricio Pochettino, so there could be a lot more changes to the playing squad.
It is likely Chelsea will move for a new striker in the event Broja leaves, with Romelu Lukaku also expected to leave permanently after a less than successful second spell at the club. The Belgian spent last season on loan at Roma, and Nicolas Jackson, who scored 15 goals in all competitions in his debut season, stands as the most senior striker at the club.
