By Daniel Feliciano

10th May, 2022 | 3:10pm

Armando Broja 'number one target' for West Ham United, other options named - ExWHUemployee

Armando Broja is West Ham United’s ‘number one target’ for the striker position this summer and they will compete for his signature with Southampton, according to ExWHUemployee.

The Hammers are looking to bring in a new forward to provide competition for places with Michail Antonio, and the Albania international has emerged as the stand-out target after his loan spell this season.

Now speaking on the ExWHUemployee Patreon account [May 9], he has shared how much David Moyes rates the player but has admitted there are several other names on the list in case a deal can’t be done.

“Broja is someone we are 100% interested in,” he said. “I know this factually because I’ve had conversations with scouts and people in the club.

“I know David Moyes has spoken to people about how much he rates this player. He sees him as an all-round forward, someone who’s strong, quick, good finisher and he’s obviously on loan at Southampton from Chelsea.

“So Chelsea’s situation is going to be a factor in that, although it does look like it’s going to be taken over soon. So when it goes through, I would expect us to compete with Southampton for Broja. He’s possibly the number one target, depending on how negotiations go.

“Ben Brereton-Diaz, I’ve mentioned him numerous times before, obviously Blackburn didn’t make the playoffs. He’s got an option on his contract where it can be extended by a year, which I assume Blackburn will do, but it does mean his contract is only a year long so his value is gradually reducing as the months go by. He is someone we are definitely keen on as well.

“We like Nketiah of Arsenal. Arsenal have offered him a new contract and they really want to keep him, but he hasn’t signed it. West Ham could be trying to persuade him to sign that new deal with us and say look, Antonio is 32 and we see you competing with him for a first-team spot next year and then you could be the main man at this club going forward.

“Just depends whether Arsenal can keep him there or match the other offers he will have because lots of clubs will be going for him at the end of the season.

“We do like Moussa Dembele of Lyon, the winker, but he will possibly go elsewhere.

“Watkins is another, but we got priced out of a move for him in January. Depending on what Villa’s pricing of him is in the summer, that will determine but I imagine it will be too much again.

“We like Twine of MK Dons, he could be a back-up option. But I think at the moment we want these other names I’ve mentioned ahead of him.”

Compete

Broja has been largely excellent during his loan spell with Southampton this summer, and the fact he has emerged as the number one target is not a surprise. He is the perfect Moyes player.

A player on the verge of exploding to the next level, the offer of European football will be enticing for him to be able to develop more, while the hope is that he wouldn’t cost an arm and a leg either.

But it’s good to know that while the club have identified him as first choice, there are alternatives out there that the club are keen on in case it didn’t go to plan.

Nketiah is an interesting prospect and would arrive on a free transfer, and he has shown in recent games and with the England Under-21’s that he knows how to find the back of the net, while Brereton-Diaz and Twine have impressed in the lower leagues too.

In other West Ham news, ExWHUemployee names ‘main winger’ West Ham want to sign, ‘excellent’ ex-PL man back-up choice

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