Southampton land striker in second Chelsea transfer
Southampton have signed their second player from Chelsea this summer, with teenage striker Armando Broja arriving at St Mary’s on a season-long loan.
Broja signed a five-year contract with the Blues before leaving on loan, and will help to fill the void left by Danny Ings, who’s moved to Aston Villa.
Broja scored 11 goals in 34 games in a loan spell with Vitesse last season and is highly rated at Stamford Bridge.
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Saints boss Ralph Hasenhuttl says the club were drawn to Broja due to that loan spell and believes he’s joined the right team to continue his development.
Hasenhuttl said: “Armando is a very talented player who we were impressed by last season.
“He is young, but he comes now with a full season of experience in senior football with a good team, and he brings a lot of qualities that can help us.
“He is a strong, quick player with a good instinct and this makes him a good fit for the way we like to play.
“I know how highly regarded he is by Chelsea, and I think this will be a good place for him to continue his own development as well.”
Broja is the second player to make the switch to Southampton from Chelsea this summer, following Tino Livramento’s £5million move.
And the Albania international says he has a “very good opportunity” to experience football at the top level with Southampton this season.
Broja said: “I feel very happy. I was really excited to join Southampton. It’s obviously a very good Premier League club.
“They’ve got a good history and they play in the best league in the world, so it’s amazing for a young player to experience it, be in and around a Premier League team, and learn and develop from the older players, the staff and everyone here. It’s a very good opportunity.”
Hasenhuttl is also reportedly keen on a move for Blackburn striker Adam Armstrong.
Southampton have ‘agreed a deal worth up to £15m’ but the Premier League side is ‘yet to agree personal terms with the striker’ and ‘there are still concerns a deal could fall down’.
