Newcastle United and Everton have reportedly re-entered the race to sign Chelsea forward Armando Broja, with West Ham United dropping their interest.
According to iNews, Newcastle United and Everton have rekindled their interest in Chelsea striker Armando Broja after West Ham United dropped their pursuit of the Albanian forward.
The 20-year-old has been a top target for several Premier League teams after his impressive loan stint at Southampton during the 2021/22 campaign, where he broke out as a top young striking prospect in the division. Broja did not register remarkable numbers last season, scoring six Premier League goals and nine across all competitions.
His performances, though, were impressive enough to attract the attention of Newcastle, Everton, and Napoli, as well as West Ham. The Hammers looked set to secure the Chelsea prodigy only at the start of last week but are closing in on signing Gianluca Scamacca instead.
Broja had joined up late with Chelsea on the US tour but flew back to London last week after he picked up an injury in training before returning to Cobham, fueling the West Ham links. The Hammers had submitted a bid of £30 million plus add-ons to Chelsea for Broja, but the Blues were reluctant to approve the sale, despite the player being keen on moving away from Stamford Bridge to get regular minutes.
Recent reports claimed the Hammers have been frustrated by Chelsea’s delaying tactics and have now pushed ahead with a €36 million move for Scamacca, who is expected in London to undergo medical and complete his move soon. This suggests that West Ham’s interest in Broja has cooled, potentially opening the door for Newcastle or Everton to pursue the promising forward.
Newcastle have long been linked with a move for Broja after missing out on a deal to sign Hugo Ekitike, who has instead joined PSG. With Callum Wilson’s questionable injury record and Chris Wood’s lack of goals, the Magpies have a need for a new striker, and Broja fits the bill. They are open to taking the 20-year-old on a season-long loan, which may suit Chelsea, who are keen to keep the striking prodigy on their books.
Everton’s interest is most likely prompted by Frank Lampard, who is a firm admirer of the Chelsea talent and is looking to utilise his strong connections to bring him to Goodison Park. The Toffees have had a disappointing transfer window, with James Tarkowski their only acquisition as of yet.
While they are ready to progress talks with Chelsea for Broja, they also hold a massive interest in Billy Gilmour and Conor Gallagher. But Everton would not be allowed to have more than one Chelsea player on loan this summer due to registration restrictions.
Ultimately, it might all come down to Chelsea and what they want to do with their prized asset. When asked about the 20-year-old, Chelsea boss Tuchel confirmed his intention to keep him at the club, as Chelsea lack a physical presence up top, having already loaned out Romelu Lukaku and with doubts hanging over the futures of Michy Batshuayi and Timo Werner.
