Chelsea will keep hold of striker Armando Broja for the coming season and he will need to make an 'impact' at Stamford Bridge to avoid being cut loose in the future, according to journalist Dean Jones.
What's the latest news involving Armando Broja?
According to TEAMtalk, Chelsea forward Broja could seek a move away from Stamford Bridge this window following the arrival of Nicolas Jackson from Villarreal.
West Ham, Crystal Palace, Burnley and Brentford are all keen to take him off the hands of the Blues and Broja's entourage are said to be 'exploring' alternative avenues for him to take his next career step.
Broja has been back out on the training field at Cobham in pre-season following missing the entire second half of last campaign due to a horrific knee injury he picked up in a friendly against Aston Villa in mid-season, as per Football London.
Last month, journalist Simon Phillips took to Twitter to update Chelsea fans on manager Mauricio Pochettino's view of Broja and his vision for the Albania international, stating: "Everyone at the club as well as Poch has a real belief in Broja – was part of the reason we didn’t rush into signing a new 9 in January. Poch feels if he gets back to his best, Broja can be perfect for his system."
Nevertheless, the imminent return of Broja to first-team action hasn't put Chelsea off potentially strengthening their depth in the striker position further, with Corriere dello Sport via The Daily Express claiming that the Blues are 'pushing hard' to try and land Juventus hitman Dusan Vlahovic.
Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jones has revealed that Chelsea will keep hold of Broja for now; however, he thinks that the £40k-a-week ace must take any opportunities in the side by the scruff of the neck to avoid becoming out-of-favour at Stamford Bridge.
Jones told FFC: "He's got to make an impact early on; at the moment, the signals are that he'll remain with Chelsea, but that can flip so quickly. He has to have encouraging signs; otherwise, I don't think he'll want to hang around and be out of the picture again."
Should Chelsea give Armando Broja an opportunity to stake his claim for action?
It wouldn't hurt, put it that way, though Broja will know himself that he will need to make his presence felt on the pitch to stand a chance of being in Pochettino's long-term plans at Chelsea.
Taking his whole Chelsea career under the microscope, Broja has made just 19 senior appearances for the club, netting one goal and laying on a solitary assist, as per Transfermarkt.
WhoScored show that in 2022/23, Broja earned an average rating of 6.29/10 for his exploits on the pitch, though it is perhaps a tad unfair to criticise the 21-year-old too much, taking into account he was granted just two Premier League starts and ten substitute appearances before his injury struggles.
The Evening Standard cite that Broja should be ready to play a part in Chelsea's pre-season tour of the United States, where they will take on Sky Bet League Two side Wrexham, followed by bouts against Fulham, Newcastle United and Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League Summer Series and a 'one-off' friendly against Borussia Dortmund.
In all likelihood, these matches may prove pivotal to Broja's chances of being regarded as a reliable option at senior level for Chelsea in 2023/24 and he will be champing at the bit to impress Pochettino if he is given a chance to play his part.
