Thomas Tuchel was non-committal when asked whether Armando Broja could be Chelsea’s centre-forward, saying his loan performances do not prove he is good enough for Chelsea and his injuries are not helping his chances of breaking into the first team.
With the departures of Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner this summer and no arrival of a natural striker just yet, there appears to be a good chance for Broja to make an impression at Chelsea this season.
The 20-year-old impressed on loan at Southampton last season, scoring nine goals in all competitions, and has come on as a substitute in both Premier League games for the Blues so far this campaign.
However, he will not be involved when Chelsea go to Leeds on Sunday due to a minor injury, and Tuchel sounds a little frustrated with the striker’s fitness issues.
The German boss says the Albania international has a great chance to prove himself this season, but has warned him that he must do just that, because he has much to prove.
Asked whether Broja could be his number nine this season, Tuchel told a press conference: ‘Yes and no. We know enough about him but it’s one thing to perform on a loan and another to perform at a club like Chelsea.
‘He was injured in pre-season and now injured again, this does not help us have a clear view on what he can give us. I think it’s a huge chance for Armando to have an impact at Chelsea.’
Chelsea have been linked with signing a new striker, most notably Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, but nothing seems imminent.
Tuchel certainly wants more additions to his squad, knowing that there will be a huge amount of games to come as they compete on four fronts.
‘I believe we can compete with this group, but it’s one thing to compete once a week and it’s another to compete 60 times a year and three times a week,’ he said.
‘You need to have players who challenge for their place and challenge for their minutes. It does not come down only to tactics and team spirit, it’s also about the depth in the squad and the challenge.’
