By Gabriel Agbonlahor

29th Jul, 2022 | 1:51pm

Agbonlahor backs Leeds United to complete Armando Broja deal after £35.5m deal agreed

Gabby Agbonlahor has told Leeds United and Newcastle to “do everything” to sign Armando Broja this summer.

The former Aston Villa striker, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, highlighted the 20-year-old’s physical attributes as well as his Premier League experience as reasons to sanction a big deal.

West Ham have been heavily linked with a move for the Chelsea man – but the Irons completed the £35.5million signing of 6ft 5in Italy international Gianluca Scamacca on Tuesday (26 July).

Leeds United, Newcastle, and Everton have also been credited with an interest in Broja – who scored nine goals on loan at Southampton last season.

However, the 14-cap Albania international managed just one strike in the last 16 league games of the 2021-22 campaign.

Agbonlahor suggested that form may have put potential suitors off.

He told Football Insider‘s Ewan Kingsbury: “I think Broja is a top, top player but maybe his form in the second half of the season put a few suitors off.

“Clubs will want him, but he tailed off in the second half of the season.

“But if I was Newcastle or Leeds, clubs who need strikers, I’d be doing everything I could to get him in.

“He’s shown what he can do in the Premier League. He’s a threat, he’s big, he’s strong.

“The clubs will just have to hope that he can do it over a whole season, not just six months.”

Broja has only played one senior game for Chelsea but signed a five-year deal with the club before joining Southampton on loan last summer (2021).

The youngster has been given a shirt number at Stamford Bridge ahead of the new season.

In other news, medical insider reveals how Leeds United staff may be to blame for new boys’ injury.