There is a quiet hum of activity building down at Formello this week. It appears that Lazio are preparing to dip into the Premier League again. Accord...
There is a quiet hum of activity building down at Formello this week. It appears that Lazio are preparing to dip into the Premier League again. According to sources close to GoalZaza, the Biancocelesti are pushing to secure Albanian striker Armando Broja from Burnley on a loan basis with an option to buy.This is not some fancy flyer from the previous regime. This is Marco Baroni looking for a particular kind of profile. For all the talk of Lazio's need for a big number nine, Broja is not your typical target man. He is raw power bundled into a rangy frame, a forward who thrives on chaos and space in transitional play. It is easy to forget that, before a nasty knee injury derailed his trajectory, this was a lad who bullied defenders at Southampton and looked the part at Chelsea's Cobham academy.Does he fix the immediate problem for Lazio That depends on what you think the problem is. If Baroni wants a fox in the box to convert crosses, Broja may frustrate. His finishing can be scattershot, his decision making in tight areas still developing. But if the plan is to get the ball forward quickly, to stretch Serie A backlines with raw pace and hold up play that actually sticks, then you can see the logic. Taty Castellanos is a grafter with a big heart; Broja is a different beast altogether. He offers tactical flexibility, a way to hit the low block in the final third without passing it to death.Burnley might be tempted to let him go. The Clarets paid a hefty sum for his signature, but he has not exactly set the turf alight under Vincent Kompany or his successor. A loan with a well structured option gives everyone a chance to reset. For the player, it is a route back to a league where he once attracted serious admirers. For Lazio, it is a low risk punt on a striker who could, if the old Broja surfaces, become a very marketable asset indeed.The football world loves to overanalyse these speculative moves. But sometimes a deal is just a player needing a fresh start and a club needing a different flavour in the final third. Lazio are not looking for a legend just yet. They are looking for a spark. Broja might just provide it.
