Chelsea and Albania striker Armando Broja is closing in on a move to newly-promoted Burnley.
Broja has already completed most of his medical, so a switch to Turf Moor appears to be imminent. It is thought that Burnley could pay Chelsea up to £20m for the player’s signature.
Some at Stamford Bridge will be disappointed to see the 23-year-old go, including co-owner Behdad Eghbali.
After Broja signed a six-year contract back in 2022, Eghbali was expecting big things from him.
Behdad Eghbali looks on during Chelsea FC v Liverpool FC - Premier League
Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images
Behdad Eghbali backed Armando Broja to fulfil potential at Chelsea
Eghbali was a fan of Broja’s talent and was confident that he would be able to display it at Chelsea.
Speaking to Chelsea’s official club website after Broja signed his new deal, Eghbali and fellow co-owner Jose E. Feliciano said: “Armando has so much talent and we are confident he can fulfil it at Chelsea. We are all looking forward to watching his development this season and beyond.”
Unfortunately for Broja and Chelsea, Eghbali’s prediction has not come true, and the forward is now set to leave west London after scoring just three goals for the Club World Cup winners.
Armando Broja’s Chelsea record Total
Appearances 38
Goals 3
Assists 2
This summer, Chelsea have bought Joao Pedro from Brighton & Hove Albion and Liam Delap from Ipswich Town to bolster their options up front.
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Pedro shone at the Club World Cup, scoring three goals in the three appearances he made for Enzo Maresca‘s side.
However, had things gone differently for Broja, Chelsea might not have needed to sign both Pedro and Delap.
Armando Broja of Chelsea reacts at full-time following the team's draw in the FA Cup
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Injuries prevented Armando Broja from being a success at Chelsea
Since making his first-team debut for Chelsea, Broja has shown a lot of promise, especially during his loan spell at Southampton during the 2021/22 season.
He put in some good performances, including against Chelsea’s fierce rivals Tottenham Hotspur, whom he managed to score against.
However, injuries really curtailed his progress and ultimately stopped him from having the chance to become a success at Stamford Bridge.
According to Transfermarkt, Broja missed 40 games for both club and country in the 2022/23 campaign because of a cruciate ligament injury. Last season, he was also absent for 29 matches as a result of more injury problems.
At the time, Eghbali’s prediction about Broja was not far-fetched. But injuries have since robbed the Chelsea academy graduate of the opportunity to fulfil his potential in west London.