Graham Potter does not want Armando Broja to leave Chelsea on loan in January despite having interest from Everton and Newcastle in the striker, according to reports.
The 21-year-old made the decision in the summer to stay at Stamford Bridge and put pen to paper to sign a long-term deal with the club.
This season he has earned more minutes in a Chelsea shirt, with Graham Potter at the helm he is getting regular opportunities.
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However, he is yet to nail down a spot in the starting XI, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is the favoured option, and Kai Havertz has taken on that role too.
In the Premier League so far this season he has tallied up just 187 minutes of playing time.
He scored his first goal for the club against Wolves at Stamford Bridge, a game in which the west London side emerged 3-0 victors.
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After spending last season on loan at Southampton, where he was a more vital member of the squad this season he is taking on a different role.
He is getting minutes, but is it enough to take his game to the next level or is it stunting his development.
Over the summer an array of Premier League sides were interested in completing moves for Broja, with West Ham the closest.
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These fell through but according to reports both Everton and Newcastle are hopeful of getting a loan move done for the Albanian.
If he wants to get consistent game time, then a move to one of these sides may give him that, but he still has a role to play at Chelsea.
As reported by Ben Jacobs of CBS, Potter would not be likely to let the attacker leave in the winter.
This suggests Broja is still a big part of the 47-year-old’s plans, it may just take some time before he becomes the number one option at Chelsea.
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He came off the bench agains Dinamo Zagreb on Wednesday night after Aubameyang was preferred to start for the 2-1 win at Stamford Bridge.
In a pre-match press conference, he was asked about his decision to stay at Chelsea despite all the talk of leaving during the summer.
He responded: "There is always talk in the media. For me, I was always trying to be ready for the season. I wasn't too worried about what was going on outside."
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Broja was also asked about the opportunities he’s had with the club, adding: “Everyone knows Chelsea is one of the best clubs in the world. It's always going to be tough to get into the team and perform.
"The opportunities and chances I do get, I will try to perform, and in training to show what I can do. Ultimately, it's always going to be tough. It's not going to be easy, but I strive to overcome it.
"I love playing football, so when the manager trusts me to come on the pitch to make an impact, I try to do my best to do that and help the team - goal, assist or playing well."
Topics: Chelsea, Football, Armando Broja
Sam Collins