Armando Broja played his first minutes in months on Saturday when he came on for Everton against West Ham United
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Armando Broja in action with Mohammed Kudus during the Premier League match between Everton FC and West Ham United FC at Goodison Park. Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images
Armando Broja in action with Mohammed Kudus during the Premier League match between Everton and West Ham United at Goodison Park
(Image: Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images)
David Moyes is set to learn the extent of Armando Broja’s fitness. The on-loan Everton striker is set to feature for Albania during the international break.
Broja made the bench for the draw with West Ham United on Saturday, coming on as part of a series of changes that helped drag the Blues back into the game.
It was a promising cameo for the 23-year-old, his first minutes under Moyes after suffering ankle ligament damage against Peterborough United in January.
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The Chelsea loanee was stretchered off in that FA Cup third-round win, which was the last game before Moyes returned to the club to replace Sean Dyche.
Broja has suffered an injury-plagued time since joining Everton in the final minutes of the summer transfer window. He arrived with an Achilles injury that kept him out until December then had to be withdrawn in the first half after earning a starting spot at Bournemouth at the start of 2025.
The injury heartbreak suffered against Peterborough followed, leading to Everton exploring whether they should attempt to end his loan deal.
A belief he would recover quicker than initially expected, combined with the struggle to find alternative options up front, led the Blues to retain his services and this break could be pivotal in his season.
While Everton will likely welcome any opportunity for him to get competitive minutes after a long absence, there will also be some concern that he could suffer yet another setback.
Broja’s Albania face England at Wembley on Friday then host Andorra next Monday as the World Cup qualifying campaign gets underway.
Youssef Chermiti, who also made his first appearance under Moyes on Saturday, has not made the Portugal Under-21s squad for the upcoming break but Beto, the striker who gained most from the injuries to his challengers, has joined up with Guinea-Bissau for their World Cup qualifiers against Sierra Leone and Burkina Faso.
Also on international duty are Idrissa Gueye (Senegal), Jarrad Branthwaite (England U21s), Jake O’Brien (Republic of Ireland), Vitalii Mykolenko (Ukraine) and Jesper Lindstrom (Denmark(, whose run in the first team has led to his recall to the Danish national team.