Chelsea are set to be without Armando Broja for sometime after the striker suffered a knee injury in a mid-season friendly against Aston Villa. The 20-year-old screamed in pain following a collision with Ezri Konsa and he was subsequently stretchered off the field of play.
He looked to be in considerable pain and was seen to be clutching his leg as he was tended to by medical staff. The Albania international had no history of knee injuries and his injury comes as a major blow.
Graham Potter admitted his concern over Broja's 'awkward' knock following the Blues' defeat in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, claiming that the initials signs didn't look positive. Now that the west Londoners have returned to Cobham training ground ahead of the Premier League's return, the Cobham graduate has undergone tests and Chelsea have found out the severity of his knock.
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Broja is expected to be out for at least the remainder of the season after learning that he needs surgery to fix a ruptured cruciate ligament in his right knee, football.london understands. The Albanian will begin his rehabilitation programme soon, though he could be out of action for a minimum of five months and a maximum of 12.
He has joined a growing list of injured players unavailable to Potter, including N'Golo Kante, Reece James, Wesley Fofana and Ben Chilwell. But, the aforementioned trio are on the mend.
Broja's injury raises questions ahead of the January transfer window, with the striker once heavily linked to an exit from the club. A move could now be off the cards.
Prior to the Cobham graduate's knock, French outlet Jeunes Footeux reported that Potter is in the market for a striker this January. As it stands, Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang is the club's only senior option to lead the line, with Kai Havertz taking up more of a false-nine role.
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