Armando Broja is a potential target for Newcastle United in the summer transfer window, The I's Mark Douglas reports

The lowdown

Broja, whose parent club is Chelsea, has nearly reached the end of his season-long loan at Southampton.

The Athletic reported following the move last summer that the Blues had high hopes for the striker, who had just signed a new five-year deal.

The Saints, for their part, are hopeful of signing the Albanian on a long-term deal ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

Eddie Howe and Newcastle are intent upon signing a 'high-calibre' striker this summer and have made Benfica's Darwin Nunez a 'priority target'.

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The latest

Douglas says that Newcastle have other options in mind as well as Nunez.

One of them is Everton's Dominic Calvert-Lewin, while they have also 'watched' Broja this season.

It remains to be seen if that scouting leads to a formal offer when the window opens.

The verdict

Broja, who's only 20 years old, has enjoyed a strong season at St Mary's.

He ranks second in the team's goalscoring charts with nine in all competitions (behind only James Ward-Prowse on ten) and has netted one every 254 minutes, or 2.8 games, on average.

That form has seen his market value climb to an estimated £16.2million, and it wouldn't be surprise if Chelsea fought to keep hold of a player showing so much promise.

Indeed, he made the shortlist for the 2021 Golden Boy award, given to the best player aged 21-or-under based in Europe.

And he's won the endorsement of Newcastle's all-time top goalscorer Alan Shearer, who called him a 'clinical' striker with a 'bright future'.

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