AC Milan sent a scout to Dortmund on Saturday night to watch transfer target Armando Broja in the flesh for Albania. The Italian giants want to sign the Chelsea frontman but they're hesitant about pursuing a permanent deal as Enzo Maresca's side want up to £35million for the 22-year-old. Broja, who barely featured at the back end of the season during an underwhelming loan spell at Fulham, endured a quiet evening at Signal Iduna Park before being substituted on 77 minutes in his nation's 2-1 defeat to Italy. Milan were carrying out further checks on the striker as they prepare to formalise their summer transfer strategy amid ongoing discussions for Bologna centre-forward Joshua Zirkzee.
Zirkzee remains the priority pick at San Siro following Olivier Giroud's move Stateside to LAFC, however, agent fees are complicating talks and Broja is viewed as a possible alternative option. Crucially, Chelsea are willing to do business but they are reluctant to agree to any further loans despite banking a £4m fee from Fulham for the attacker. Instead, they will push for a permanent sale and there is optimism they will generate cash as Broja is admired by numerous clubs from both the Premier League and across Europe. He has been in Milan's crosshairs for several years but Wolves and Everton are also among his suitors. Meanwhile, Monaco are thought to have taken a backseat in the race for his services.
Broja would reflect 100 percent profit against the club's financial accounts if sold as he's a Cobham academy graduate and Chelsea are looking to raise funds by June 30 when they will submit their financial records. Speaking to The Athletic ahead of Euro 2024, Broja outlined his desire to make an impact at the tournament to prove his doubters wrong following recent flak. He said: “The real pleasure in football is overcoming all that. I will use all the negativity as fuel to prove people wrong. I have had to do that all my life and this European Championship provides me with that opportunity, to show I am back from my injury, that I can do it against some of the best countries in the world, some of the best defenders, some of the best players. “I just want to show the world; my country, my family, myself, people who have doubted me, people who have supported me, that I can achieve my expectations and become the player I know I can be.”