West Ham United is contemplating a renewed pursuit of Chelsea striker Armando Broja in the upcoming summer transfer window, as per The Times.
As relays the HammerNews, the 21-year-old Chelsea forward is reportedly back on West Ham’s radar after the club’s previous pursuit of him last year. Despite their initial interest, Broja remained at Stamford Bridge, and West Ham signed Gianluca Scamacca from Sassuolo instead. However, Scamacca has struggled to establish himself at the London Stadium, prompting David Moyes to potentially reignite his interest in the Albanian international.
Despite suffering an ACL injury in December, which caused him to miss the remainder of the 2022/23 season, Broja is expected to return for pre-season training. The Times reports that West Ham remains interested in the young striker, despite concerns about his long-term fitness. Chelsea is said to value Broja at around £40 million, which, prior to his injury, would have represented good value for West Ham.
However, given the doubts surrounding his fitness and Chelsea’s desire to offload players, there may be an opportunity for West Ham to acquire Broja for a slightly reduced fee.
If Broja can maintain his long-term fitness, he would be an excellent addition to West Ham. Described as an “exceptional” striker by The Athletic and praised by Albania coach Sergio Porrini as “devastating,” Broja possesses the qualities that David Moyes seeks in a striker. His tireless runs into the channels and ability to stretch the opposition make him well-suited for West Ham’s style of play.
In addition to his goal-scoring prowess, Broja’s all-around game, including his ability to hold up the ball and involve teammates, has been highly impressive. In the 2021/22 season, he recorded nine goals and one assist in 36 appearances for Southampton.