Everton star rated as 'quick as Kyle Walker' finally given return date after two-month injury

Everton will be able to utilise summer signing Armando Broja sometime in November, according to an Albanian journalist.

Broja signed from Chelsea on a season-long-loan with an option-to-buy next summer. His deal was announced in the final minutes of deadline day as his signing was completed after the closing of the window in what was late drama for the Toffees.

Set to sign for Ipswich Town, they turned down the opportunity due to the fact he would be out of action for the first three months of the season. That didn’t phase Everton who now have a date for his return seemingly confirmed.

According to the head sports journalist Klaudio Ndreca at Sport Ekspres, Broja is set to return in November and will miss Albania’s internationals in October. Writing on X to confirm the news, he wrote: ‘Clarification. Broja is in the last stage of recovery. He is not on the October list because Everton could not risk him for another injury with the national team at a time when they have been waiting so long for him. Gradual activation will begin after our matches, in November.’

His last game was in Chelsea’s pre-season under Enzo Maresca against Club America in August. Prior to that, he featured at Euro 2024 for Albania. He struggled for game time last season in the first half of the campaign under Mauricio Pochettino before heading on loan to Fulham. Overall, his return was just two goals and two assists in 27 games but he hasn’t been in a settled place since his successful loan at Southampton in the 2021/22 campaign.

Everton already have Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Beto as striking options but Broja will bring a new dynamic and he’s a player itching to prove himself after a frustrating few seasons at Chelsea and dealing with injuries. After shining at Southampton, he suffered a cruciate knee injury in late-2022 and he only managed to return to action fully after November in 2023. A huge setback for his career, he has since struggled to find his feet.

Once heralded as a future star, the 23-year-old has remarkable pace and power and was once described by Raheem Sterling as being nearly as fast as Kyle Walker. When asked his fastest ever teammate excluding Walker, Sterling told STATSports: “Leroy Sane or Armando [Broja]. I reckon Armando is there with Kyle [Walker] as the quickest.”