Chelsea

Chelsea

Premier League • England

Chelsea in sudden transfer headache as striker exit risks collapse, but Prem rival remains vigilant

Armando Broja, Noni Madueke, Chelsea, October 2023

Armando Broja in conversation alongside Noni Madueke ahead of Chelsea match

Chelsea need to clear out some of their unwanted players, but one deal that looked to be on the verge of completion risks being skipped over, according to the latest updates.

Even Enzo Maresca might have lost count of the number of players at his disposal, but the Chelsea head coach has insisted he is only working with a tighter group of first-team players and that others are currently separated from the squad.

It is a priority for Chelsea to remove some of those excess players from the wage bill, though. The number of players still linked with departures from Chelsea stretches into double figures.

One area it is essential to clear some space is up front, since Maresca still wants to sign an upgrade at centre-forward. With that in mind, Chelsea have been looking to sell the likes of Romelu Lukaku and Armando Broja.

A deal has been agreed for Lukaku to reunite with Antonio Conte at Napoli, while Ipswich Town have put Broja through a medical ahead of a loan move that would become permanent for £30m if Kieran McKenna’s side avoid relegation.

However, journalist Jacob Steinberg has now revealed that Broja’s move to Ipswich is in danger of collapsing.

Paperwork issues are blamed for the move being at risk. Consequently, Ipswich are starting to think about different targets they could pursue for the striker role.

The move is not yet over for good, but if it does collapse, Chelsea will have to quickly find another solution for Broja with less than a week of the transfer window remaining.

Fortunately, there may still be interest in the Albania international. It has been reiterated that Everton remain interested in Broja, as TEAMtalk learned was on the cards earlier this week.

Everton could also put together a loan-to-buy package for Broja, who could become a successor to Dominic Calvert-Lewin or even his teammate during the last season of his contract if Beto or Neal Maupay can be moved on.

Make or break season for Broja

While Broja is still only 22 years old, he is in need of a consistent season to show he can fulfil his potential.

After loan spells with Vitesse and Southampton, Broja only scored three goals back at Chelsea. A serious injury disrupted his progress and then came a loan move to Fulham in the second half of last season.

Chelsea may have Broja under contract until 2028, but they are now looking to move him on. It is up to him to show why they might be making a mistake, but to do that he will need a strong season.

As things stand, Broja looks like a case of unfulfilled potential. This season, if spent at the right club, could be crucial for him in terms of whether he can get back on track or not.

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