Chelsea and their loanees always spark something up. The Blues have known for loaning numerous players, including both academy graduates as well as first-team players. Recently, their 20-year old striker Armando Broja who is on-loan at Southampton is making some headlines. The youngster has become an exciting prospect in the premier league, and many of the clubs are keeping a tab on his availability. Arsenal are the most recent side to ask Chelsea about Broja.
Moreover, Broja is also ready to consider Arsenal’s as well as other clubs’ offers too. Arsenal are in a dire need of a striker who could score regularly. Aubameyang has left the club in January after terminating his contract with mutual consent. However, his exit was anticipated in January, still Arsenal were reluctant in signing a striker. But the Gunners are now set to actively look for a striker in the summer, and Broja ticks all their boxes.
Arsenal ready to stage talks with Chelsea for Broja
Mikel Arteta and the Arsenal hierarchy faced a lot of backlash from the fans after they didn’t sign a quality striker in January. Following Aubameyang’s disciplinary breach Arteta dropped from the squad for a month. It was evident that the striker will leave in January, and he did leave on the deadline-day. Arsenal’s pursuit of Fiorentina striker Dusan Vlahovic also fell flat as the Serbian joined Juventus. Arteta was left with Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah as the only strikers, and their contracts expire by this summer. It is highly possible that both players leave in the summer, which could further leave Arsenal without any striker if they repeat their January antics.
With pressure mounting for Arsenal to sign a striker, the Gunners have turned their attention to Chelsea loanee Armando Broja. Arteta has found the Albanian’s work-rate quite admirable and is ready to work with him. In his first full season in the premier league with Southampton, Broja has scored 6 goals and assisted one in 20 appearances. Broja also boasts an impressive 4.4 xG (expected goals) per game and 26 dribbles completed out of 46. On the other hand, Arsenal’s Lacazette has only 3 goals in his 17 league games. Lacazette’s 5.7 xG is also nothing significant compared to Broja’s, with the Frenchman only attempting 22 dribbles succeeding in 14. Broja is clearly a cut above Lacazette at the moment, and Arteta too is well experienced in managing young players.
Broja ready to hear the offers from other clubs
Armando Broja is reportedly ready to listen what Arsenal has to offer. The Albanian feels that Arsenal are in a need of quality striker and that they can guarantee him the playing time. Broja will have an uphill task at Chelsea to be a starter. Chelsea have signed Lukaku last summer for €113 million and back him to score loads. Timo Werner is also in line to fight for a starting spot.
However, Arsenal’s environment is another thing that has excited Broja. Arsenal arguably have the best crop of young players in the league right now. Saka, Smith Rowe, Odegaard, Martinelli, Ben White, Gabriel are few names who are all firing this season for the Gunners. Most importantly, all the aforementioned players are below the age of 25, where Broja fits in. A young dressing room brimming with talent should lure Broja to Arsenal.
Chelsea should handle Broja with care, given their history with missed hits. The Blues should not repeat the same mistake, or at least decide hastily about Broja as they did with Kevin De Bruyne, Mohamed Salah, Nathan Ake, and even Lukaku. Lukaku left Chelsea after the club gave-up on him in 2014. Fast forward 2021, and the club had to pay a whopping €113 million for Lukaku. Similarly, the club should also think closely about their other talented loanees Billy Gilmour and Conor Gallagher.
At the moment, Chelsea should be wary of other clubs too who are interested in Broja along with Arsenal. Southampton are also keen on signing Broja permanently after his blistering displays for them. Broja currently has a market value of €10 million, and Chelsea won’t ask a mammoth fee should Arsenal or Southampton make an official approach. However, everything depends on Thomas Tuchel, who will definitely look for some new signings too.
