West Ham United manager Julen Lopetegui appears to have a golden opportunity to land a striker the club has long admired, according to reports. With a revamp of the attacking line high on his agenda, Lopetegui has identified Chelsea’s Armando Broja as a potential target.
Lopetegui reportedly views a top-quality centre-forward as the cornerstone of his attacking strategy. While Michail Antonio is expected to remain at the club, he is unlikely to be the regular starter under the new manager.
Chelsea’s 22-year-old Albanian striker, Armando Broja, has reportedly fallen out of favour with manager Thomas Tuchel. This has made Broja, previously valued at £50 million, available for a significantly reduced fee of £30 million.
The Hammers were keen on Broja in the summer of 2022, but a serious knee injury scuppered any potential deal. Now, with Broja seemingly surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge, West Ham have a chance to reignite their interest.
West Ham players have spoken highly of Broja’s talent, urging former manager David Moyes to sign him after facing him during his loan spell at Southampton. However, Broja’s loan stint at Fulham was less impressive, and his recent injury raises concerns about his fitness.
A healthy Broja could be a valuable addition to West Ham’s attack. The lowered asking price makes the deal more financially attractive, mitigating some of the risk associated with his injury history.
The truth is that Broja is a diminished commodity and overpriced at £30m. He may be one on the many players who never managed to reach their potential following serious knee injuries. Therefore I suspect this rumour is just rehashed nonsense and I’s be surprised if any real interest exists.
