Southampton will be keen to turn Armando Broja's loan spell from Chelsea into a permanent switch next summer, according to The Sun journalist Tom Barclay.

Broja headed to St Mary's ahead of the campaign getting underway in August, with boss Ralph Hasenhuttl admitting the move was completed after being impressed by the frontman last term.

What's the latest news involving Broja?

Broja was reinstated to Southampton's starting line-up for the clash with Brighton & Hove Albion last weekend and the change to Hasenhuttl's team paid off as the 10-cap Albania international bagged his fifth goal of the season.

It proved not to be enough for Saints to grab all three points as a goal from Neal Maupay in the eighth minute of stoppage time allowed Southampton's south coast rivals to escape from St Mary's with a share of the spoils.

Broja's first half strike resulted in him becoming the highest scoring Premier League star aged 20 or under this term, while he is also the second-youngest player in the competition's history to find the back of the net in his first three home starts.

His goalscoring form has led to Chelsea supporters calling for Blues head coach Thomas Tuchel to recall Broja when the transfer window reopens next month.

Enter Giveaway

Enter Giveaway

Some fans of the Stamford Bridge club have even been rating the 20-year-old higher than Romelu Lukaku, who returned to Chelsea for £97.5million in August.

What has Tom Barclay said about Broja?

Barclay believes 6 ft 3 frontman Broja will be high on Hasenhuttl's wishlist when his loan expires next summer.

The journalist reckons Southampton will be keen to sign a striker at the end of the season but has predicted Hasenhuttl may look no further than Broja.

Barclay told GIVEMESPORT: "Broja is going along nicely to the point where Southampton would definitely be interested, I think.

West Ham seal 3-2 COMEBACK to BEAT Chelsea! Full reaction on The Football Terrace...

"He's probably not hitting the heights where Chelsea would definitely be looking to bring him back in or do anything with him yet on that front, so that could be a possibility.

"I would have thought they will sign a striker next summer but it might just end up being Broja if they can."

How have Southampton's other strikers been performing?

Broja was not Southampton's most high profile attacking signing of the summer as the club forked out £15million to draft Adam Armstrong in from Championship side Blackburn Rovers.

But Broja has outscored the 25-year-old, who found the back of the net just twice heading into the weekend.

Che Adams went into yesterday's trip to Arsenal having bagged four goals while Shane Long remains goalless since the campaign got underway.

Read More - January Transfer Window 2022: When does it open, when does it close and which players are going to move?