Chelsea

Chelsea

Premier League • England

Chelsea star Tuchel wanted sold sends Potter wild, with new signing’s spot now in serious danger

Chelsea stars Ben Chilwell and Armando Broja

Graham Potter is ‘raving’ about Armando Broja who could soon oust a summer recruit despite Thomas Tuchel’s serious reservations about the striker, per reports.

A lack of end product has blighted Chelsea’s start to the campaign. They have notched eight goals in six in the league, though that pales in comparison to their title and top four rivals.

Indeed, Man City (23), Tottenham (18) and Arsenal (14) have all vastly outscored the Blues. That issue was foreseen in the season’s early stages and prompted the late arrival of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

The ex-Arsenal striker, 33, was a favourite of former boss Thomas Tuchel. However, the German’s dismissal has called into the question the wisdom of signing an ageing superstar on huge wages.

Aubameyang was selected to start up front in Graham Potter’s first match in charge against RB Salzburg. However, after drawing a blank, he was replaced by Armando Broja after 66 minutes.

Now, according to the Sun, the 21-year-old has wasted no time making a big impression on Potter.

They state Broja is ‘catching Potter’s eye’ who is reportedly ‘raving’ about his striker’s potential and greater suitability to his system.

The inference there is Potter may implement a higher intensity pressing style. Aubameyang provides little when out of possession, while Broja showed last season at Southampton he’ll work tirelessly off the ball.

As such, it’s claimed Broja could be in line to start in place of Aubameyang when Chelsea next play Crystal Palace on October 1.

Tuchel wanted to accept £30m Broja bid

That would represent a remarkable turnaround for Broja who the Guardian recently reported Tuchel wanted to sell.

Tuchel reportedly did not believe the young forward was ready to make the grade in his first-team. That manifested itself in Tuchel being on board with a sale when West Ham bid £30m.

However, he was overruled by Todd Boehly who undercut him further by handing Broja a lucrative new six-year deal the day after the summer window closed.

That put added pressure on Tuchel to give Broja significant minutes, something he reportedly did not believe he was ready for.

Regardless, the situation has changed with Potter now at the helm. All the signs point towards the Albania international giving Chelsea’s front line a new look after the international break.

Aubameyang signing makes no sense

Boehly went on record to state Tuchel’s sacking was not due to the chastening 1-0 defeat to Dinamo Zagreb on September 6.

That loss came less than a week after Aubameyang was signed. Various outlets later reported the decision to axe Tuchel had been made well in advance.

That then begs the question: why did Chelsea sign Aubameyang?

The Gabon striker will always have an admirer in Tuchel. However, disciplinary issues have plagued his career and new boss Potter has been saddled with an ageing striker who’s seemingly unlikely to start very often.

His situation shares similarities with Cristiano Ronaldo at Man Utd.

Both earn colossal wages and both are past their primes. With hungry new managers wishing to implement a more progressive and high intensity style, Ronaldo and Aubameyang look poor fits.