Chelsea pinched Broja from Spurs but Premier League displays could lead to Arsenal

It is fair to say not many people would have believed that Saints' Albania international would outshine Chelsea's £97.5million forward Romelu Lukaku this season, but he is doing just that.

The 20-year-old, who grew up idolising Didier Drogba, has netted six goals in 23 appearances under manager Ralph Hasenhuttl, compared to Lukaku's five at Stamford Bridge.

Belgium international Lukaku set an unwanted record recently of touching the ball just seven times when Chelsea defeated Crystal Palace on February 19.

Broja, whose appetite for goals is fuelled by watching Brazilian Ronaldo, has also has netted more than Blues attackers Hakim Ziyech, Kai Havertz, Christian Pulisic, Timo Werner and Callum Hudson-Odoi this campaign.

Slough-born Broja was on the books at local club Burnham Juniors under coach John McAteer who hailed the youngster following his rise.

"It was clear he had something special, and he had a real desire, and in training games he wanted to win every game. His pace was a definite asset, there was a real strength in terms of his physicality."

Broja was also on the books at Reading, but ended up joining Chelsea's London rivals Tottenham before moving to Stamford Bridge.

"I went to a tournament with Burnham Juniors and there was a Spurs scout there watching," he told Chelsea's website.

"He actually came to watch another player in my team but I ended up winning Player of the Tournament and he took me on instead, so I went to Tottenham and signed for them.

"I was at Spurs for two years from Under-8s until the end of Under-9s and in those two years, we played Chelsea a lot and they really liked me as a player and that's when I joined the Academy."

Former Chelsea youth coach Sam Parkin also heaped praise on him claiming he knew he was always going to hit the heights.

"I was always impressed with him. He wasn't perhaps as natural goalscorer as Dominic Solanke or Tammy Abraham, but he had different attributes.

"The knack of being able to run with the ball and go past defenders was one, and another was being able to shift with and without the ball."

Signing a new five-year deal with Chelsea last summer, he made the move to Southampton on loan and has become an instant hit under Hasenhuttl.

"He knows how important it is for him as a player to play continuously," the manager said.

"Here he gets that chance and has shown he fits to us and our shape.

"There are a lot of examples where players after changing clubs do not perform like they have done with us."

Hasenhuttl is clearly keen to secure him on a permanent deal should he get the option to do so, but Arsenal are also keen.

A goal against Tottenham in the win at White Hart Lane will certainly have done his popularity at his parent club - as well as at the Emirates - no harm.