West Ham offered big money for Chelsea striker Armando Broja this summer and David Moyes will be disappointed that a deal couldn't be done.

What's the word?

According to transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano, West Ham offered €40m (£34.5m) for the Albania international after his impressive performances on loan at Southampton last season.

He said: “Broja was only close to leaving when West Ham offered €40m for him, but Chelsea rejected the proposal. All other negotiations were superficial, including Newcastle’s interest.”

The 20-year-old spent the 2021/22 campaign with Ralph Hasenhuttl's side and caught the eye with his performances, scoring nine goals in all competitions for the Saints.

Despite the departures of Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner in the summer, the young forward is yet to start a game this season, while the arrival of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is sure to limit his opportunities further.

Moyes would have loved him

With regular game time at West Ham, Broja could have realised his obvious potential, as he has already proven himself to be a threat in England and the Netherlands with Vitesse where he hit ten goals in the 2020/21 campaign.

He has also shown his capabilities on an international stage with Albania and was praised by assistant manager Sergio Porrini last season.

He said: “From last year to this he has grown a lot, and at Southampton, he has exploded.

“His greatest qualities are in progression, especially the ball and chain. (He’s) less good, on the other hand, with his back to the goal, in the construction of the action. But, in the spaces, he is devastating!”

Although West Ham spent £35.5m on bringing in Gianluca Scamacca from Sassuolo this summer, Broja could have been a stellar addition at the London Stadium, especially when you consider that Michail Antonio will turn 33 this season and is heading towards the later stages of his career.

Broja's FbRef scouting report scores him highly with regards to pressures, interceptions, blocks and aerials won, which suggests that he could have been the hard-working target man that Moyes loves to deploy in his side.

It's a role we have seen Antonio have a lot of success in during recent seasons, scoring 13 goals last term, all while scoring highly for pressures in the attacking third. Scamacca is cut from the same cloth, scoring highly for tackles over the last 365 days compared to strikers across Europe's top five leagues.

Therefore, it is a shame that a deal with Chelsea couldn't be done, as Broja looks set to play a bit-part role in the Chelsea side this season and his potential could be wasted at Stamford Bridge, whereas he could have been a huge hit at West Ham if given the opportunities.