Chelsea is left with just one No. 9 after Armando Broja departs. Under duress on deadline day, Fulham signs a £4 million loan agreement for a Blues striker.
On transfer deadline day, Armando Broja departed Chelsea after Fulham and the attacker came to an agreement over a six-month, £4 million ($5 million) loan.
This transfer window, the Albanian has been the talk of the town, with the Wolves seeming to be the early favorites to sign him. The Blues and their London neighbors have come to an arrangement, despite Chelsea rejecting their proposal earlier this week. Broja joined Fulham on a straightforward six-month loan for a sum that may increase to £4 million based on performance-related add-ons.
Chelsea’s sharp realization of the present status of the market is evident in the loan move. The Blues wanted £50 million ($64 million) for the forward at first, but as clubs were strapped for cash this winter, they decided to reduce that amount to £35 million ($45 million), and in the end, they agreed to a simple loan with no purchase commitment. Although Broja could get more playing time as a result of the deal, Mauricio Pochettino now has an even more porous front line.
Nicolas Jackson has carried a lot of responsibility thus far this season, but with Broja out of the picture, the Senegalese is now Pochettino’s primary front-line option, with the injured Christopher Nkunku serving as the only other truly good alternative. Although Cole Palmer and Raheem Sterling have both occasionally filled in as false nines, it doesn’t seem like a good long-term strategy.
The action seems to be another risk taken by Chelsea’s owners in an attempt to balance the books by increasing the market value of a homegrown player at the expense of Pochettino’s existing team. Conor Gallagher, who has been linked to a move to rival Tottenham despite playing often under the Argentine this season, is someone Chelsea supporters will be hoping stays with the club.
