Crystal Palace won the race to sign Adam Wharton in January as they offered the young midfielder an opportunity to play while Chelsea wanted to loan him out, according to journalist Alan Nixon.
After playing the first half of the season in the Championship at Blackburn Rovers, Wharton was snapped up by the Eagles on the final day of the January transfer window.
Crystal Palace were not the only club that were on the heels of the young prospect with Chelsea also having expressed interest.
However, while informing Wharton about their plans for him, the goal keeper deal-makers revealed that they wanted to loan him out initially.
Crystal Palace had a strong end to the season thanks to Jean-Philippe Mateta’s red-hot form, though the club are eyeing Armando Broja as a potential new striker.
- Broja, on loan at Fulham, may be sold by Chelsea due to limited progress, attracting interest from several clubs including Wolves, Everton, and Crystal Palace.
- Palace, aiming for a respectable fee, sees potential in Broja to form a potent striker trio alongside Mateta and Odsonne Edouard.
Crystal Palace’s end to the season was nothing short of superb with Eberechi Eze, Michael Olise, Adam Wharton and Jean-Philippe Mateta all chipping in with a host of goals and assists to fire the Eagles up the Premier League table. But despite their goalscoring efforts and Mateta’s red-hot form, the club are in the market for a new striker this summer – with Ben Jacobs exclusively telling GIVEMESPORT that a move for Armando Broja is in their eyesight.
Mateta joined Palace in January 2021 on an initial eighteen-month loan deal, with the opportunity to sign him for £13million at the end of his spell. Six goals in 29 Premier League games initially saw him struggle in the Premier League, and just two strikes to his name last season furthered that belief with Odsonne Edouard being the main focal point. But whilst Oliver Glasner’s arrival in February saw Mateta become the Premier League’s most informed striker over the final three months of the campaign, it appears they want someone to rival him – and Broja could be that man, with Jacobs stating that they are part of a seven-team race for the Albania international’s signature.
Armando Broja: Transfer News Latest
The Chelsea striker continues to be linked with a move away
Broja was loaned to Fulham in January after picking up an ACL injury in November 2022, unable to force his way into Chelsea’s first-team squad due to limited opportunities. But his loan move across west London fell flat; just 81 minutes of Premier League action for the Cottagers thanks to Rodrigo Muniz’s form means that he still hasn’t developed as such since bursting onto the scene via a loan move at Southampton, and that could see Chelsea sell him.
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