Chelsea striker Armando Broja is expected to miss the remainder of the season after suffering a ruptured cruciate ligament in his right knee.
The 21-year-old will undergo surgery on the injury which happened during a 1-0 friendly defeat against Aston Villa in Abu Dhabi on Sunday. Broja’s injury is likely to force Chelsea into the January transfer market to sign a replacement striker.
The Standard has mentioned Joao Felix joining from Atletico Madrid on loan with an option-to-buy clause or targeting Cristiano Ronaldo – who is currently a free agent after leaving Manchester United by mutual consent.
It’s disastrous for Broja. He would have viewed Chelsea’s empty striker position as an opportunity to consolidate his spot at the west London club.
This season, the Blues have struggled with center-forwards, with Kai Havertz and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang both underwhelming for Graham Potter’s side. It will be intriguing to see if a Ronaldo deal is pursued. In the summer, Chelsea was connected with the Portuguese superstar, but he ultimately stayed at Old Trafford. Realistically, Chelsea will need to sign a new striker in the summer, but Ronaldo might be a temporary solution.
