Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider says Fulham are interested in Armando Broja, whose future at Chelsea is uncertain.
The 22-year-old has fallen down the pecking order this season due to injury problems and stiff competition for playing time.
Broja could leave Chelsea in January
Broja has made only seven appearances across the board as Nicolas Jackson has been preferred in attack. The Albanian international has missed eight league games with a knee injury, amassing only 154 minutes on the pitch.
Matt Law of the Telegraph said in November that Broja’s future was uncertain, so Fulham are trying to capitalise. The Cottagers sold Aleksandar Mitrovic to Al-Hilal in the summer of 2023 and signed Raúl Jiménez, but it’s not worked.
Jimenez has scored only one goal in 15 games since joining from Wolverhampton Wanderers, so Broja would be his successor. Chelsea are reportedly on the hunt for Ivan Toney in January, so they’re identifying their own replacement.
How much would Chelsea request?
Broja joined the Blues from Tottenham Hotspur in 2009, making 26 appearances with two goals and two assists. He impressed while on loan at Vitesse Arnhem in 2020/21, having a hand in 14 goals from 34 games. He made a name for himself on loan at Southampton in 2021/22, contributing 10 goals from 38 games.
Broja hasn’t been as prolific in Chelsea colours, but he’s still rated highly while being tipped for a bright future. Fabrizio Romano said in 2022 that West Ham had a £30m bid rejected, so it might take an improved offer. Chelsea wouldn’t let Broja leave without another striker coming in, but Brentford won’t want to sell Toney either.
Goal-shy Fulham need a striker but might have better luck signing Broja at the end of the season. Chelsea won’t trim their squad in January if they don’t have a replacement lined up. Changing too many players in a short space of time led to their problems last year.
