West Ham United want Armando Broja from Premier League rivals Chelsea with David Moyes and his squad ‘impressed’ by the striker’s influence on loan at Southampton, according to The Sun.
The dream is dead. Now, West Ham must face the harsh reality of it all.
Moyes’ squad have walked on water throughout much of the last two years but, during the few months, they’ve started to sink. A heartbreaking defeat over two legs against Eintracht Frankfurt in the UEFA Europa League semi-final was less a break from the norm and instead more of the same from a side who have won just three of their last 11 games in domestic action.
In short, the warning signs were there. The alarm bells ringing loud and shrill.
Moyes, after Rafael Santos Borre’s winner extinguished the Hammers’ final hopes, insisted that this squad is good enough and hungry enough to repeat their remarkable European journey.
But if he is to go one step further, then improvements are a must. Yes, the Hammers have the foundations in place but a lick of fresh paint is required.
West Ham want Armando Broja from Chelsea
Surely, West Ham cannot limp through yet another season with injury-prone 32-year-old Michail Antonio as their only senior centre-forward. For what feels like the umpteenth transfer window in succession, a new striker will be one of Moyes’ top priorities.
Whether Chelsea are willing to sell one of their brightest young stars to a London rival, however, remains to be seen.
The Sun claims that Moyes and his squad like what they’ve seen from a Slough-born Albania international who, a recent dip in form aside, has emerged as one of 2021/22’s breakthrough talents on loan at Southampton.
Broja scored a sublime solo goal against West Ham in the FA Cup back in February.
“I do feel he’s the real deal. He is gonna be an outstanding talent, I can tell you that,” Arsenal legend Martin Keown said after the 20-year-old weaved through Moyes’ backline before firing Southampton into a 3-1 lead.
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“He is simply a class above all the strikers on this pitch, the potential he has. I mean, get the ball to him whenever you can.
“That’s an outstanding goal. Pace, power and then the finesse at the end of it. He changes gear, slips inside and look at that, cultured finish. This is a player. So impressive.”
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