Armando Broja didn't know who Tottenham were when the Premier League club approached his parents about a possible transfer.
The 21-year-old forward came through the system at Chelsea from 2009 to 2020 but what many people don't know is that he began his youth career at London rivals Spurs.
Following trials at Reading and Fulham, exciting prospect Broja eventually joined the ranks at Spurs when he was just six-years-old.
After a two-year spell at the North London club, the Slough-born forward was signed by Chelsea to play in their academy and the rest is history.
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Broja signed his first professional contract at Stamford Bridge in February 2020, made an impact at Vitesse and Southampton on loan and now, he is currently fighting for a place in Chelsea's first team.
The young forward, who recently signed a new six-year deal at the Blues, has been linked with moves elsewhere after impressing under Ralph Hasenhuttl at St Mary's last season, but it appears he has a solid future at Stamford Bridge.
Fans will be hoping to see more of the academy product in the coming months. In fact, some have called for Broja to play every week after the following comments about Spurs' initial approach as a youngster.
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Take it away, Armando.
"I was at Burnham Juniors, the club I was first at and I remember going to a tournament,” he told Players Tribune Football in a recent interview.
“The Tottenham scout actually came to watch another boy. I happened to play well that tournament, I got top goalscorer and best player.
“They approached my mum and dad before I even knew about it so when I came back, my mum and dad said; ‘Tottenham came over to us’. I was just thinking, ‘Who’s Tottenham?’.
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"Because I was quite young, I only knew my Sunday league team [and Chelsea].”
Broja recently opened up on rumours linking him with a move away from Stamford Bridge and by the sounds of it, the Albanian international is intent on making an impact with his boyhood club.
"You see the speculation but my full focus was always to be here and focus on Chelsea," the 21-year-old told Chelsea's official website earlier this month.
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"This is one of the best clubs in the world and there’s no better feeling to be playing for my boyhood club, the club I’ve supported my whole life.
"Everywhere you go in football, there’s competition and that’s just normal. For me, it’s just about being focused, keeping my head down and working hard. Hopefully that leads to many more opportunities but I’m thankful for those I’ve had so far."
He added: "Chelsea have put their faith in me since I was a young player. They’ve always taught me to be resilient and a hard worker and always focus on football.
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"Chelsea have taught me a lot, how to be a man and a good person, so I just want to repay their faith in me with my performances on the pitch, by scoring goals and winning matches."
Featured Image Credit: Players Tribune Football/AlamyTopics: Armando Broja, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, Premier League, Transfers
