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Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink says Brian Brobbey would only work at Manchester United if the club become a genuinely dominant side that holds 60 per cent of possession in most matches. Speaking to GOAL, the former Chelsea striker addressed the growing Brian Brobbey Sunderland transfer talk that has followed the forward’s fast start on Wearside. Brobbey joined Sunderland for £17m ($22m) and is contracted to the club until the summer of 2029.
Hasselbaink Details Brobbey Possession Mandate
Hasselbaink was clear that Brobbey’s game does not automatically translate to Old Trafford. “He’s a different kind of number nine,” he told GOAL, before setting out the exact conditions that would need to be met.
“The only way I can see him, for instance, at Man United is if Man United become a really dominant team that has 60 per cent of the ball, that plays 80, 85 per cent of the time in the opposition half. Then he’s very good,” Hasselbaink said.
He also praised what Brobbey already offers Sunderland. “He does the job for Sunderland as well, don’t get me wrong. But his biggest asset is holding the ball and bringing people in. And if you can do that around the opposition’s box, you have a problem. So I can see that if Man United becomes a really dominant team,” Hasselbaink added.
Brobbey Hat-Trick and Tactical Role Under Le Bris
The debate comes after Brobbey scored a hat-trick in his last domestic outing against Manchester City, a display that underlined his value as the focal point of Régis Le Bris’s attack. Sunderland fans have already seen what Hasselbaink means about his hold-up play, a theme we covered in our report on his Premier League hat-trick.
Asked if anyone in the Premier League holds the ball up better than Brobbey, Hasselbaink did not hesitate. “No, he holds the ball up really, really well. It doesn’t matter how big the centre-half is. When they start fighting with him, he wins,” he said.
That physical presence has been central to Sunderland’s forward line since he arrived, part of a wider recruitment plan we detailed in Sunderland’s recent transfer strategy success.
Contract Timeline and Upcoming Transfer Outlook
Brobbey’s deal at the Stadium of Light runs until 2029, which gives Sunderland a strong hand in any future negotiation. A £50m ($66m) valuation has been mooted ahead of the 2026 World Cup, though no formal approach from Manchester United has been reported. That figure has fuelled fresh Brian Brobbey Sunderland transfer speculation, but Hasselbaink’s assessment suggests any move would hinge on tactical fit as much as fee.
Former Sunderland defender Matt Kilgallon believes a fee in that range would represent a big return for the club. “He’s a joke, that Brobbey. I watched him for Holland and he looks an absolute threat. Man United, I mean, Sunderland, you can’t turn it down. Doubling your money and a bit more and Brobbey’s going to be going, ‘Man United, they don’t come knocking often, do they?'” Kilgallon said.
Brobbey’s immediate focus stays with Sunderland and the Netherlands set-up, with his club form likely to feed into wider World Cup selection talk. For more on that side of his season, see our piece on Brobbey’s international duty status, and Hasselbaink’s full assessment is available speaking to GOAL.
