1 week Ago By [email protected] (Joe Thomas)
The forward, on loan from Chelsea, is hoping he can revive his career after several tough years Armando Broja said he is finally “pain-free” as he looks to end a tough season with a bang. The forward arrived from Chelsea in the summer with an achilles injury that kept him out until December. A further setback at Bournemouth was then followed by the serious ankle problem that saw him stretchered off against Peterborough United.
But a series of substitute appearances have signalled he is back and the Albania international knows he has a point to prove as he looks to revive his career. Speaking to club media after Everton ’s draw with Arsenal, another game in which he came off the bench, he said: "I feel much better now. I'm happy I can come back on the pitch and play pain-free.
That's all I wanted – to be pain-free, to enjoy my football, play in front of the fans and try to do the best for the team.” Broja’s fitness will offer a boost to David Moyes as he plots for Everton’s final seven games. Dominic Calvert-Lewin remains sidelined with a hamstring injury and is not expected to be available before the end of the month .
Beto’s goals were key to moving the Blues to Premier League safety but he has missed a series of big chances in important games and is now under pressure due to the return to fitness of Broja and Youssef Chermiti. Focused on taking the chances that come his way, Broja said: "I'm 100 per cent sure, there's way more to come from me. There's still the best to come from me.
There's so much more I can do. "There's going to be moments where the goals are going to come, assists are going to come, and I'm going to play way better, for sure. "But, like I said, the most important thing for me is to be back in and amongst it again, to play pain-free and to just leave whatever sort of injuries I've had in the past and just move on forward.
" One dilemma for Moyes is the extent to which he relies on Broja. The Blues boss effectively conceded he believed Everton were safe at the weekend. With his mind increasingly turning to the summer squad rebuild, he may prefer to give the greatest opportunities to forwards who are contracted to the club beyond this season, such as Beto and Chermiti.
Everton do have the opportunity to make Broja’s move permanent, but with the fee in the Chelsea loan deal standing at around £30m, it is difficult to see that clause being exercised however well Broja does. If the 23-year-old was to make an impression it could allow him to make a case for Everton to negotiate with his parent club if, with Calvert-Lewin out of contract in the summer , he can convince Moyes he could be the forward to lead his future frontline. Broja, who will be hoping to show his quality as he looks to showcase his potential after years blighted by injury, said: “Wherever you are, whatever player you are, it's always important when you have an opportunity to show the manager, show the fans, show the club, show everyone what you can do.
That's the part of being a player. "Every time you step over that white line, it's about you giving your all, no matter where you are, what level you're at, it's always about doing the best for yourself and for the club. "For sure I want to go over that white line and just give it everything I have.
And, like I said, the best is yet to come for me. I know what I can do, I know what I'm capable of and I can push on from here.".
