Armando Broja represents a perfect forward option for Newcastle United
The Magpies are reported to be monitoring Chelsea's 20-year-old Albanian international, who spent last season on loan at Southampton.
Before last season, it would be safe to suggest that few of us had heard of Armando Broja. With just a single 86th minute substitute appearance in the Premier League to his name, and a loan spell in the Netherlands, he joined Southampton on loan as a young, unknown quantity.
While there though, the 20-year-old Chelsea forward excelled and proved himself a first-team ready asset up top. Nine goals across 38 appearances is a very respectable haul for the Saints and has piqued the interest of a number of Premier League clubs this summer.
West Ham appear to be in the driving seat when it comes to negotiations, but Newcastle United’s new ownership are reported to be keeping tabs on Broja. It’s a move which would make perfect sense for the Magpies, if they could strike it at the right price.
The Slough-born Albanian international is a strong, alert presence up front but remains good enough with the ball at his feet to both outmuscle and outplay his opponent. Couple that with a firm eye for goal and the fact that, at just 20 years of age, he is still only beginning his development journey and Broja represents an exciting prospect.
It is no secret that the Magpies are in the market for a striker this summer. It looks very likely that it will be Stade Reims’ Hugo Ekitike, with the exciting young Frenchman having been a target of the club since January.
However, negotiations continue to rumble on and repeated delays are causing frustrations to reportedly bubble among the Newcastle hierarchy. It appears from the outside looking in that the Ekitike deal is hanging on the whim of agents seeking to maximise their profits from a young footballing starlet.
Should there end up being a problem securing Ekitike’s signature, or patience ultimately runs out on Tyneside, then the club could do far worse than looking to move for Broja.
Just nine months older than the Frenchman, Broja and Ekitike have walked similar paths to date, if different types of footballer on the pitch.
Both are exciting young prospects coming off the back of a breakthrough season, having both the year before honed their abilities in a smaller league on the continent (Broja with Vitesse in the Eredivisie, and Ekitike with Denmark’s Velje in the Superliga).
The difference though is that Broja has tasted the Premier League. He has been tested against the physicality of the English game, and proved himself capable.
In many ways, his play style is not dissimilar to Newcastle’s existing forward Callum Wilson. Both look for those pockets of space to exploit against a defender, with both the strength and guile to trap the ball, turn and finish or the awareness and pace to make a dangerous run.
With Wilson struggling to remain fit for a whole campaign, Newcastle’s owners would not be unjustified in looking at Broja as a potential option. One who could come in and make an immediate impact, but also offer significant long-term longevity as a successor.
Especially should the deal for Ekitike ultimately fizzle out.