Chelsea striker Armando Broja is expected to complete his season-long loan move to the Blues on Thursday, TWTD understands.
The 22-year-old has been in Ipswich today to undergo a medical, which he passed, with the deal set to be formalised tomorrow.
It’s understood the switch would become permanent next summer if the Blues stay up in an overall deal worth more than £30 million.
Broja was initially linked with Town early on the summer before reports that Town had made a loan approach emerged late last week.
The prospect of the move happening was played down by various sources, however, we understand the player and his representatives visited Playford Road on Friday and that appears to have swung things in Town’s direction.
Slough-born Broja, who is 6ft 3in tall, moved to Stamford Bridge from Tottenham’s youth set-up in 2009.
Since then, he has spent time on loan at Vitesse, Southampton and Fulham, while making 11 starts and 27 sub appearances, scoring three goals for his parent club.
His stint with the Saints saw him net nine times in 24 starts and 14 games from the bench, while the spell at Fulham in the second half of last season saw him make only eight sub appearances without finding the net.
Capped by Albania at full level 23 times, scoring five goals, and featuring at Euro 2024, Broja had previously been linked with a move to Everton.
Premier League clubs are allowed only two domestic loans at one time, four over the course of a season, as well as six international loans, although with exemptions relating to players under-21.
Town have already recruited Kalvin Phillips on loan from Manchester City and Broja would mean they wouldn’t be able to bring in anyone else on a domestic loan.
Broja will be the Blues’ second Albanian international following in the footsteps of Town academy product Armando Dobra, while former Blues defender Freddie Veseli switched his allegiance to Albania after leaving Portman Road.
The Broja signing would mean Town now have 26 players who qualify for the 25-man squad, but it’s almost certain Freddie Ladapo will move on before the end of the window, while the likes of Cieran Slicker, Ali Al-Hamadi and Marcus Harness could go out on loan.
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