Thomas Tuchel could lose out on a £27.8million windfall this summer, with West Ham reportedly eager to sign Armando Broja. The 20-year-old has been heavily linked with an exit from Chelsea after a successful season-long loan at Southampton.
He featured 32 times for the Saints in the Premier League, directly contributing towards seven goals. Broja's impressive displays have given Tuchel a decision to make in the coming weeks, with several clubs said to be queuing up for the striker's signature.
The Albania international, who sees his contract at Stamford Bridge expire in 2026, steered Ralph Hasenhuttl's side to safety from relegation. And, having made a good impression at St Mary's, the Southampton boss has already confessed his desire to retain the youngster's services next season.
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When asked about his side's chances of securing the player in question permanently, the Austrian manager said: "Yes, sure. He likes it here, he loves it here. It would be great if he was our player. He wants to be with us, I think. You can feel this at every moment. The fans love him also, this is good."
Then, speaking ahead of Southampton’s game against Crystal Palace, Hasenhuttl urged Broja to stay on the south coast for a further season. The Saints boss said: "At this moment it is not easy to negotiate with Chelsea. There is no question, and it is not surprising that I want him to stay here another year. I know this would be good for him. He is very important [for Southampton], yes absolutely. He gets better and better, and he likes it here with us."
However, despite Hasenhuttl's wishes, West Ham look to have taken the initiative to ignite a transfer race for Broja. According to Gianluca Di Marzio, the striker is the Hammers' 'first priority' this summer.
The report adds that negotiations are ongoing over a fee said to be between £25million and £30million. However, in March, Italian outlet Tuttomercatoweb reported that Chelsea value Broja at around €70million (£57.8m), meaning the Blues could lose out on as much as £27.8million if they were to go ahead with the deal.
The Cobham graduate has already taken his first steps towards becoming the Blues' next Diego Costa; this season Broja became the youngest player in Premier League history to score in his first four home starts and the first to do so in the league since Costa in 2014.
So, there's a chance that the Albanian's success has earned him a place in Tuchel's squad next season, with his quality making another worthwhile loan more difficult. Heading into a clash with Leeds United, Hasenhuttl reflected on what the striker has learned during his time on the south coast.
The Southampton boss said said: "I think the biggest change was that he learned what makes him successful. It is not making him successful waiting for one or two actions for 90 minutes and then being there and scoring those - it is more working for 90 minutes and being in several actions and getting the reward for the hard work you have done on the pitch because then you get the reward and then you get the goal and then you get the chances.
"This is what he had to learn. Meanwhile, we see different Brojas - sometimes the one and sometimes the other. This is what he has to learn to deliver consistently. And this is why he is here and why you should take this time here to learn."
