MY ACCOUNT
Chelsea loanee Armando Broja looks set to be a man in demand this summer.
The 20-year-old striker continued his impressive breakthrough Premier League campaign with a tidy finish in Southampton’s 3-2 victory at Tottenham on Wednesday night.
The Saints want to sign the Albania international permanently but he might fancy a crack at forcing his way into Thomas Tuchel’s plans at Stamford Bridge next season.
Meanwhile, ex-Blues boss Frank Lampard is also thought to be keen to bring him to Everton.
Ahead of Southampton’s lunchtime kick-off at Manchester United on Saturday, we ponder where Broja could be playing his football next season.
Making his name
When the Saints lost Danny Ings during the summer, marquee signing Adam Armstrong was heralded as the man to take on the goalscoring burden.
The loan capture of relative unknown Broja went under the radar but the youngster sits as Saints’ top scorer with eight strikes in all competitions compared to Armstrong’s two.
Despite a loan at Vitesse being his only previous experience at senior level before this season, the striker has taken to the top flight like a duck to water.
Used predominantly as an impact substitute early on, Broja is now a regular first-team starter with Che Adams and Armstrong fighting it out for the other spot up top.
The 6ft 3in marksman’s physical presence, pace and impressive link-up play is vital to how Ralph Hasenhuttl sets up his Saints team to play — as shown during Wednesday’s thriller in North London.
Broja’s 4.69 aerial duels won per 90 — leading all Southampton players — shows he is well-equipped for the rigours of the Premier League.
Chelsea’s answer
While he continues to impress, his parent club Chelsea are still having issues up front.
The £97.5million signing of Romelu Lukaku in the summer was a key factor in pushing Broja and fellow striker Tammy Abraham out of Stamford Bridge this term but the Belgian has managed a modest five Premier League goals.
A move away for Lukaku has already been mooted and their academy graduate could represent a much cheaper answer to Chelsea’s problems in the goalscoring department.
His bullish approach has already seen him likened to former striker Diego Costa, with Chelsea fans excitedly watching his development from afar.
Having been at the club since the age of nine, you would understand why Broja still has ambitions of making the grade at the Bridge.
His passionate celebration in front of the Tottenham fans last night also suggests he is a Blue at heart.
And his exploits this season have not escaped the notice of manager Tuchel, who praised the towering forward but stopped short of revealing his future plans for him.
The German boss said last month: “Armando’s getting better and better. He’s a very unique player with unique strengths in his game. He has speed, he’s robust and he’s a goalscorer.
“First of all, now is not the moment to discuss the summer, it’s the moment for him to stay calm and keep on improving.”
And with the likes of Mason Mount, Reece James and Trevoh Chalobah now regular first-team starters, Broja may feel he is more than capable of being the next Cobham starlet to break through.
Saints on the march
But Southampton have made no secret of their desire to keep Broja past this season.
Asked if signing the hitman permanently was a possibility, the Hasenhuttl replied: “Sure, he likes it here.
“It would be great if he was our player and he wants to be with us. I think you can feel this in every moment.”
While a January move was dashed, reports indicate the Saints will test Chelsea’s resolve with a £25m bid during the summer.
On his time at St Mary’s, Broja has said: “I’m a young player and it’s amazing for everyone to be able to have this opportunity to be in the Premier League and gain experience and become a better player and work with better players.
“It’s a dream come true. I’m just trying to improve every day and just learn.”
Having found an environment where he is being allowed to thrive, Broja may think he is better off staying on the South Coast rather than returning to Chelsea to start from the fringes once again.
Toffees twist
But a move to Everton to play under Lampard — the man who handed Broja his Chelsea debut in 2020 — could be the tempting wildcard option.
Current Toffees striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin has attracted interest from clubs higher up the Premier League, while his repeated injuries are a cause for concern.
Lampard may therefore decide it is best to cash in on the England man and bring Broja in as a longer-term option — providing the Merseysiders avoid relegation this season.
He would pose a similar physical threat to Calvert-Lewin, while his experience of playing with a strike partner at Saints makes a link-up with Richarlison a good fit in theory.
While undoubtedly more of a gamble than the other two options seemingly on the table, Lampard’s reputation for nurturing youngsters would surely stand Broja in good stead to succeed at Goodison Park.
Wherever he heads next, regular first-team football should be top of the priority list so he can continue his exciting rise.
