Armando Broja was substituted in the second half of Chelsea’s 3-2 win over Luton Town after an underwhelming performance. The 22-year-old led the line at Kenilworth Road but struggled to keep the ball and didn’t look like scoring.
Isabelle Barker of The Sun gave Broja a player rating of 5/10 and said he ‘wasn’t up to scratch’. Nizaar Kinsella of the London Evening Standard gave the Albanian international a 5/10 and said he ‘lacked a goal threat’.
James Evans of the Daily Mail gave Broja 6/10 and said it was a ‘quiet day at the office’. Scott Trotter of Football.London gave the 22-year-old 5/10 and said he ‘struggled to retain possession’.
It’s now 10 Premier League games without a goal for Broja, and Nicolas Jackson outperformed him playing out of position. So is it time for Mauricio Pochettino to drop him and stick with Christopher Nkunku?
Broja struggling for goals
The 22-year-old rose through Chelsea’s youth ranks in 2021. He scored 16 goals with five assists from 35 games for the U18s. Broja netted two goals from five games for the U19s and bagged three goals from 13 games for the U23s. He’s been profligate at senior level, however.
Since being called up to the first-team, Broja has made 33 appearances in all competitions. He’s scored only two goals with two assists, however, so the Albanian hasn’t been prolific despite all his opportunities. He has just one goal from 12 league games this season – identical numbers from 2022/23.
Broja hasn’t scored in the top-flight since October’s 2-0 win over Fulham and isn’t coming close in games. He’s only had two shots on target in 12 league outings. The Albanian international is averaging less than one shot per game overall too.
Chelsea could sign a striker in January
It’s not a good time for a striker to underperform as the January transfer window has opened. Chelsea are 10th for goals scored at home (17), so they need a focal point they can rely upon.
The Blues have been linked with Victor Osimhen and Ivan Toney, but they’ll need to sell to buy. Pochettino needs to cash in on deadwood to generate transfer funds, so could Broja be moved on? It’s possible if suitors arose, but his form this season isn’t warranting lucrative offers.
Chelsea have Preston in the FA Cup and Middlesbrough in the League Cup next, so two last chances for him? After that, Pochettino might want to change things up against Premier League opposition.
