Gary O’Neil could get just what he wants at Molineux if the deal comes to fruition
Speaking after Wolves’ goalless draw with Brighton on Monday night, manager Gary O’Neil said the club would “hopefully” be able to add a striker to the squad before the end of the January transfer window. Wolves have already allowed Fabio Silva (Rangers) and Sasa Kalajdzic (Eintracht Frankfurt) to leave on loan this month, and they need to find a replacement.
O’Neil indicated that Wolves needed to cut their pay cost in order to be able to “push the button” on an incoming transaction. Indeed, the Molineux club is still not out of the woods when it comes to complying with the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules, which may force them to sign players on a loan basis with a later option or obligation to buy. A deal for Chelsea’s Armando Broja may meet the bill.
Wolves in touch over Broja deal
According to writer Graeme Bailey of HITC Football, the Wolves have “expressed interest” in Broja. They, along with Premier League rivals Fulham, Crystal Palace, and West Ham, have approached Chelsea about a potential deal.
Significantly, the Blues are willing to release him since he “doesn’t have a long-term future” at Stamford Bridge. While they are willing to grant a loan at first, it must include an obligation to buy, with the Albanian priced at £35 million.
Broja can address issues exposed vs Brighton
Wolves’ stalemate at the Amex Stadium showed exactly why signing a new number nine is so important. Their problems were twofold – they struggled to create, fashioning just four shooting chances inside the penalty area, and they couldn’t capitalise on their few openings, spurning 1.15 xG and a big chance.
The conclusion to draw here is that Wolves need a predatory forward whose movement can generate opportunities, and who’s then clinical enough to beat the goalkeeper. Their overreliance on Hwang Hee-chan, who’s currently away at the Asian Cup with South Korea, may already have been exposed. Indeed, he’s the only player in the squad to score more than seven this season (he has 11), and only one of two to surpass four (alongside Matheus Cunha on seven
Broja may not appear to be an obvious option, given that he has only scored twice in 17 appearances (or 616 minutes) this season. However, it’s important remembering that he only returned after a nine-month hiatus in September after tearing his ACL, so he may need a little more time to ramp up to his maximum best.
In his final injury-free season, 2021/22, he scored nine goals in 38 games on loan at Southampton as a 19/20 year old. You can see why manager Mauricio Pochettino considers him as a player with “huge potential” and “amazing” skill, even if he is now struggling to meet Chelsea’s “massive” expectations. The Blues are suffering in ninth place this season, placing a lot of pressure on an untested figure like Broja. He may so benefit from a transfer to Wolves, where he would have the luxury of more patience.
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