The striker played 45 minutes against Watford U21s, his first taste of action in Royal Blue
Armando Broja has provided some good news on his improving fitness. It comes after he wore the Everton jersey on a matchday for the first time since joining the club.
The 23-year-old was a deadline day arrival from Chelsea and has the opportunity to stake a claim for being the striker to lead the club into its new future given his loan deal includes an option to be made permanent and given that Dominic Calvert-Lewin is out of contact in the summer.
In order to make an impression, Broja needs to overcome the final stages of the Achilles injury he arrived with. He took a big step forward on Monday night by playing 45 minutes for the club’s Under-21s at Watford in the Premier League Cup.
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Speaking after the game, Broja said: “It was good to be back out on the pitch. It’s been a while since my injury so it’s just a nice feeling to be back out there playing, feeling the game, being back on the grass, playing and enjoying football with a smile on my face.
“I really enjoyed it and I can’t wait to just keep on progressing and hopefully be back with the senior team. I was also excited to put on the Everton shirt, it was a really good feeling. Hopefully I can put on the shirt for the senior team soon.”
Broja was taken off at half-time – as had been the plan heading into the game, he said. His appearance for the U21s had been telegraphed in advance as Sean Dyche looks to the Albania international as a potential boost in the Blues’ desperate search for goals.
Broja, who started alongside senior players Nathan Patterson (who was sent off) and Jake O’Brien in the 1-0 defeat, said: “I got through the first 45 and I felt like I could have probably played more but it was always planned for me to play 45, so it was a good start for me.
“As a player, you’ve always got to be patient. Patient with chances, patient with injuries, patient with situations that are not always in your control. I would have loved to have been back sooner but it’s one of those ones where you just have to be patient, take your time with it, make sure you’re feeling good, make sure everything’s right.
“When I first came to Everton, I would have given anything to be out there on the pitch with the players. That’s what any player wants: to be in there with the squad week in, week out, playing and training. You need to be patient, you need to be resilient and strong.”
