Exclusive: West Ham eye up January deal for Chelsea striker amid latest injury crisis
West Ham United could move for Chelsea’s Armando Broja in January to ease their attacking woes, TEAMtalk has learned.
West Ham are currently assessing the injury picked up by Michail Antonio whilst he was playing for Jamaica on international duty. The forward hurt his knee against Canada in the Concacaf Nations League quarter-final first leg on Saturday but played on for a further 10 minutes after the initial injury.
The 33-year-old eventually limped down the tunnel, much to the annoyance of West Ham who are understood to be upset at their player being allowed to continue despite sustaining a knock.
The club have sent him for scans today (Tuesday) but have fears it may be an injury that keeps him sidelined for a significant period of time.
The Hammers have also been handed a further blow after Jarrod Bowen picked up a knock on international duty for England.
The West Ham squad is already short of attacking options and bringing in some more firepower in January is now a more urgent need.
The Premier League side have been keeping tabs on a number of targets including Chelsea striker Armando Broja who could prove to be a makeweight in the Blues’ pursuit of their own world-class no.9.
A full transfer is possible for the Albanian frontman as Chelsea look to create a squad capable of firing them into the top-four race.
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Sources state that West Ham have been keen on his signature previously and would be willing to sound out a potential deal for the striker.
Chelsea would be keen to bring in £30million in the winter window for the 22-year-old if a sale is sanctioned.
The Hammers would be one of the sides in the mix but face competition from clubs around Europe and the UK. However, sources close to the player say he is determined to prove himself in the Premier League.
The 22-yeard-old has made five appearances, having been in the starting XI for two of those outings, for the Blues so far this season and has scored one goal.
West Ham eye up Stuttgart striker Guirassy as budget option
Chelsea came in ahead of rivals Tottenham for Broja when he was a youth as they convinced him to join their underage set up at Cobham. As such, he would represent pure profit for the club and would be seen as a real benefit against any FFP constraints.
The Chelsea striker is not the only potential option for West Ham, with Serhou Guirassy also on the radar after a sensational start to the season.
The Stuttgart forward has scored a remarkable 15 goals in nine Bundesliga games already and is coveted by a number of top clubs.
Most noteworthy is the fact the 27-year-old has a release clause of just £15million and would be seen as a bargain. The Hammers would face a battle for the Guinean; Fulham have also got him on their list and have made contact with the striker’s agents.
West Ham will have a busy January with sources saying striking and midfield enforcements are being targeted as they battle in the Premier League and on the continental stage in the Europa League.
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