Premier League giants Chelsea want an obligation-to-buy clause in Armando Broja’s contract after turning down a loan bid from Wolves for the Aston Villa, Fulham and West Ham United target.
EXCLUSIVE from Graeme Bailey
Wolverhampton Wanderers, HITC Football understands, are working hard to bring a new centre-forward to Molineux before the January transfer window closes this week.
Gary O’Neil’s side will have to go back to the drawing board and restructure their bid for Armando Broja, however, with Chelsea rejecting an offer which would have seen the Albania international move to the Black Country on a straightforward loan deal.
Chelsea will only consider sending the Slough-born Broja out on loan if there is an obligation-to-buy clause in the striker’s contract. It remains to be seen if Wolves would be willing to accept these terms, though HITC has been informed that the Old Gold outfit are also holding talks with a number of alternative options.
Chelsea reject Wolves’ Armando Broja bid
There is interest in Broja not just from Wolves but also from Aston Villa, Fulham and West Ham United.
Cashing in on Broja, Trevoh Chalobah or Conor Gallagher would be a massive boost to Chelsea in terms of Financial Fair Play, but The Blues appear to have done themselves few favours by allegedly demanding £50 million for the one-time Southampton loanee.
Broja was a revelation on the South Coast. He has scored only three times in 37 games since returning to Stamford Bridge, however, largely due to a serious injury which kept him out for most of last season.
‘Outstanding’
“I do feel he’s the real deal. He is going to be an outstanding talent, I can tell you that,” Arsenal legend Martin Keown said after Broja scored a superb goal in the FA Cup for Southampton against West Ham.
Those comments are nearly two-years old now, however, with Broja’s reputation only going downhill since.
“He is simply a class above all the strikers on this pitch, the potential he has,” Keown addded. “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. Clearly (Chelsea) want him back after this.
“So impressive.”
Aston Villa remain in the race, but could remove themselves from the frame if Morgan Rogers finally arrives from Middlesbrough this week.
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