“Injured again” – Tuchel said striker has not proved himself to lead Chelsea attack

Thomas Tuchel was non-committal when asked whether Armando Broja could be Chelsea’s main striker for the 2022-23 season, saying 20-year-old is yet to prove himself enough to be a starter for the Blues.

Following the departures of Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner and Chelsea are yet to sign a new centre-forward, it appears that Broja have a good chance to break into the first team this season.

The Albania international spent last season on loan at Southampton where he scored nine goals across all competitions for the Saints, but Tuchel believes the  20-year-old still has a lot to prove and and his injuries are not helping his chances of breaking into the first team.

Broja has made two Premier League appearances for Chelsea this season, both coming off the bench, and ahead he will not be involved when the Blues travel to Leeds on Sunday due to a minor injury, and Tuchel sounds a little frustrated with the striker’s fitness issues.

Speaking during his press conference on Friday, Tuchel was asked his Broja could be the centre-forward for Chelsea, he said: “Yes and no. We know enough about him but it’s one thing to perform on a loan and another to perform at a club like Chelsea.

“He was injured in pre-season and now injured again, this does not help us have a clear view on what he can give us. I think it’s a huge chance for Armando to have an impact at Chelsea.”

Chelsea have been linked with signing a new striker, most notably Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, but nothing seems imminent.

Tuchel certainly wants more additions to his squad, knowing that there will be a huge amount of games to come as they compete on four fronts.

“I believe we can compete with this group, but it’s one thing to compete once a week and it’s another to compete 60 times a year and three times a week,” he said.

“You need to have players who challenge for their place and challenge for their minutes. It does not come down only to tactics and team spirit, it’s also about the depth in the squad and the challenge.”