Is Brian Brobbey the answer to Man Utd's goalscoring issues?
Manchester United have frequently dipped into the Dutch market since the arrival of manager Erik ten Hag. But the signings of Antony, Lisandro Martinez and Tyrel Malacia have had varying degrees of success.
With the club struggling in front of goal they have set their eyes on another prospect from the Eredivisie - Brian Brobbey.
United have scored only 24 league goals this season, which is half of rivals Manchester City’s tally. This highlights their need to bolster the forward line in the January transfer window.
It is no secret that Ten Hag is a big fan of Brobbey. When the Amsterdammer re-joined Ajax on loan after a disappointing five-month spell at RB Leipzig, he scored seven goals in 12 games and helped them to the Eredivisie title.
The 21-year-old has been in impressive form in front of goal, scoring 13 goals and setting up a further four in his last 13 games, and is one of the few bright sparks at Ajax this season.
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Brian Brobbey’s Transfer Value - how much is he worth?
As per FootballTransfer’s Player Valuation Model, Brobbey has a current Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) of €17.9m.
The striker is under contract at the Johan Cruyff Arena until 2027, and is playing an important role in helping the club recover from their disastrous start to the season.
The Dutch giants are adamant that Brobbey will not be sold unless a huge bid arrives. "I don’t decide whether he leaves, but insane amounts of money will be needed," said Ajax manager John van ‘t Schip.
The ball is in United’s court, and it looks like they will need to pay a significant premium to get their man this window.
What can Brian Brobbey offer United’s frontline?
Brobbey aligns with the profile of a poacher, and he is primarily involved in offensive actions within the penalty area. The data back this up, as his 8.7 attacking penalty area touches, 3.89 shot creating actions and 3.37 shots per 90 are all among the best compared with positional peers in the Dutch top flight.
But Brobbey is also very physical and mobile, and makes 1.23 successful take-ons and 2.20 progressive carries per 90. This combination often helps him create high quality shooting opportunities for himself.
Looking at the Expected Goals (xG) that a striker accumulates can tell us how good they are getting into great goal scoring positions. Over his last three seasons at Ajax, Brobbey has accumulated impressive xG per 90 figures of 1.02, 0.79 and 0.82 respectively.
Beyond this the one-time Dutch international has made major improvements to his game. For his second goal against RKC Waalwijk on Sunday, he anticipates a pass with his back-to-goal and uses his physique to first pin the defender and then makes a quick turn to create separation for an excellent finish.
Brobbey also looks more comfortable linking up with tea mates as shown by his key passes and xAssist figures increasing compared to last season. His finishing and decision making still needs work, but he has the traits to be moulded into a high quality centre forward.
With Rasmus Hojlund already on the books, is buying another young striker the right option?
That depends on how Ten Hag sees both fitting into his team. Brobbey does offer something different, with superior hold up play and excellence in aerial and ground duels. So he can technically line up alongside Hojlund.
Brobbey would also be a solid rotation option, but paying a huge sum for a backup is a questionable decision. Young strikers need minutes to develop so having them compete for minutes can also be detrimental to both.
Whether Ten Hag gets his man, or if he is forced to opt for a more experienced profile remains to be seen.
This article was provided by FootballTransfers
