Chelsea: David Moyes admits injured Armando Broja could make Stamford Bridge return | OneFootball

Albanian striker may see Everton loan terminated early after being ruled out for up to three months with ankle issue

David Moyes has revealed that Armando Broja could return to Chelsea from Everton this month.

However, Broja’s injury struggles have continued on Merseyside, with the 23-year-old having to wait until December to make his Toffees debut under previous boss Sean Dyche due to an Achilles issue suffered during pre-season that saw a loan move to newly-promoted Ipswich with a £30m obligation to buy collapse.

Broja has managed just six appearances across all competitions for Everton, starting only three times before sustaining an ankle injury during last week’s 2-0 FA Cup third round win away at League One side Peterborough.

Himself a second-half replacement for Beto at London Road, Broja received oxygen and was carried off on a stretcher as he was replaced by Napoli loanee Jesper Lindstrom.

He was sent for more than one scan as Everton waited for the swelling to subside to get a clearer picture of the full extent of the problem.

Returning Everton boss Moyes has now revealed that Broja has damaged ankle ligaments and will likely be sidelined for up to three months, meaning he could go back to Chelsea early for further treatment as the Toffees also presumably look to free up another loan spot in this month’s transfer market.

Speaking after his Goodison Park homecoming following almost 12 years away was spoiled by England striker Ollie Watkins in a 1-0 Premier League defeat by Aston Villa on Wednesday night, Moyes said of Broja: “We think he's going to be out for somewhere between 10-12 weeks. It's his ankle ligaments.

“It'll probably mean there's a possibility that he will have to go back to Chelsea.”

Broja has seen his career stall in recent seasons after sporadic first-team roles at Stamford Bridge, spending time out on loan at Vitesse Arnhem and Southampton before suffering a serious knee injury while playing for Chelsea during a mid-season friendly against Aston Villa in Dubai during the World Cup break in December 2022 - just three months after signing a new six-year contract in west London.

He joined local rivals Fulham on a half-season loan deal last January, but made only eight appearances and failed to score a single goal during a frustrating stint at Craven Cottage.