Southampton in ‘close contact’ with Chelsea already over Armando Broja transfer

Southampton head coach Ralph Hasenhüttl began the season barely giving Armando Broja the time of day, but he’s now a certified card-carrying member of the Broja fan club, the conductor of the Broja hype train, and probably running all the BrojaSZN accounts on Twitter, too.

After recently making it clear that he wants his club’s new owners to do whatever it takes to keep the 20-year-old Chelsea loanee beyond this season, Hasenhüttl has now claimed that Broja’s family are fully on his side already, and that Southampton chief executive Martin Semmens is in talks with The Emperor’s Hand, Marina Granovskaia over some sort of a deal. Southampton are pushing for a transfer over another loan, with local reports citing similar success in the case of Tino Livramento in the summer as reason for optimism.

“We will find a solution that is hopefully the best for the player and also for us. [He] knows very clear what he has with us at this club and that he feels super good here. [This] isn’t about money, it is about feeling comfortable and getting a good atmosphere to develop your game and to get better and better.

“Martin [Semmens] is in close contact with Marina [Granovskaia] and they will definitely find the right words and the right conversations. Everyone has their interests, this is normal in this business, but we must find a decision that is best for everybody.

“I know that his family is very, very keen that he is with us and they have absolutely confirmed that he should stay longer with us. Then it’s also about Chelsea and what they want. There are a lot of talks to be had. But Martin is on this and Broja should concentrate on his game.”

-Ralph Hasenhüttl; source: Hampshire Live

Well, that last part, that part we can certainly all agree upon.

Southampton take on Wolves today, while Semmens goes to battle with another apex predator.