"Noises I'm getting from Southampton" - Journalist drops Broja update after £25m Romano claim

Tom Barclay insists that Southampton are unlikely to sign Armando Broja permanently from Chelsea because Thomas Tuchel’s side want to keep the striker.

He has been on loan at St Mary’s for the season and has impressed, scoring five goals in the top-flight, leading to suggestions that Saints could make a permanent bid.

The loanee has been in fine form since moving from Chelsea in the summer.

In total, the Albania international has made 18 Premier League appearances and has scored five times, emerging as a really important part of the Saints’ squad under Ralph Hasenhuttl.

The club are currently safely ensconced in 12th place in the Premier League, just a point behind Leicester City in 10th and 10 points clear of 18th-placed Newcastle United.

Broja is still just 20 and has struggled immensely during his time at Stamford Bridge.

He moved to Chelsea from Tottenham Hotspur in 2009, having joined Spurs when he was just six.

He spent a total of 11 years in the academy, making 35 appearances for the Blues’ U18 side, scoring 16 goals, while also playing 13 times for the U23s, scoring three goals.

Broja was loaned to Dutch club Vitesse Arnhem in the 2020/21 season, scoring 10 goals in the Eredivisie, and has only played once for Chelsea at senior level, coming on as a late substitute in the 4-0 win over Everton in 2020.

Fabrizio Romano, the noted transfer insider, reported on Wednesday that it was his understanding that a £25m bid was set to be tabled for Broja by the Saints.

Barclay, though, has rebuffed that suggestion, insisting that he has heard from sources at Saints that no such bid is set to be launched.

He told GiveMeSport: “I'm not sure at this point with Broja because the noises I'm getting from Southampton is that isn't