West Ham United has decided against pursuing a loan deal for Armando Broja from Chelsea, even after Chelsea showed willingness for a last-minute loan agreement before the transfer deadline.

David Ornstein of The Athletic shared on his Twitter account (1 February) that Chelsea had shifted their preference, now favoring a straightforward loan for the Albanian forward. Initially, Chelsea sought either a permanent transfer or a loan with a mandatory purchase clause.

Despite this late window flexibility from Chelsea, West Ham, under David Moyes’ guidance, has opted not to advance with acquiring Broja before the 11pm cutoff. Moyes, who has shown consistent interest in Broja, as reported by the Standard, finds himself in a predicament.

The urgency for a striker at West Ham is palpable. The squad’s need for offensive reinforcements grows, especially with the potential departure of key players like Danny Ings, Michail Antonio, Said Benrahma, Maxwel Cornet, and Pablo Fornals, all under the cloud of uncertainty before the deadline.

The absence of these players, compounded with Lucas Paqueta’s injury woes and Jarrod Bowen’s intermittent fitness issues, underscores the critical need for a forward like Broja. Moyes’ admiration for him is well known, making the lack of action towards securing an attacker all the more disappointing.

With no apparent deals for forwards on the horizon, the opportunity to bring in Broja seems like an ideal solution, at least theoretically. Financial constraints might pose a challenge, yet anticipated player sales could have potentially offset some costs.

Broja’s integration into the team could have sparked enthusiasm among fans, fitting seamlessly into Moyes’ tactical setup and potentially setting the stage for a more permanent arrangement in the summer, akin to Kalvin Phillips’ situation.

As the deadline approaches, supporters will be hopeful that Moyes and recruitment head Tim Steidten have a strategy in reserve to bolster the squad’s attacking options.