Manchester United are set to see numerous faces leave the club this January, but incomings are not guaranteed with a rocky financial fair play situation staring the club in the face.
That said, Erik ten Hag is desperate to find a solution to his side’s attacking issues, which has seen them score just 24 goals in 21 Premier League games.
Therefore, the Red Devils could look to secure a deal for a new number nine in January.
Man Utd’s search for a striker
According to Sky Sports Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg via X, Ten Hag is keen to sign Brian Brobbey this month, rather than in the summer.
The Dutch forward has been in contact with United since the summer, and he appreciates his former boss.
However, due to Brobbey’s contract until 2027, Ajax want to keep hold of their star striker until the end of the season at least. It’s also thought the exciting Joshua Zirkzee is on the list.
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Brobbey’s record under Ten Hag |
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|---|---|
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Games |
32 |
|
Goals |
13 |
|
Assists |
3 |
|
Minutes played |
869 |
|
Starts |
7 |
|
Minutes per goal |
67 |
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Stats via Transfermarkt. |
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How Brian Brobbey could revive Marcus Rashford
This season, Marcus Rashford has looked and performed like a player who is lost for confidence and lacking ideas, which is a shock considering he netted 17 goals in the Premier League last campaign.
Yet, unfortunately, this time around, the number ten has only scored four times in 20 league matches.
That said, he has shown signs of improvement recently, and he has scored in United’s last two Premier League matches, but a player who could fully revive Rashford is Brobbey, who has been unbelievable this season, leading the line at Ajax to devastating effect.
Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig alluded to the fact that Brobbey “loves to score” and that is most definitely highlighted by his nine goals in 16 Eredivisie matches this term. The table below shows some of Brobbey’s statistics from the last 365 days and how he compares to positional peers across leagues most similar to the Dutch top flight.
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Brobbey vs positionally similar players |
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|---|---|---|
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Metric |
Stat (per 90 mins) |
Rank in similar leagues |
|
Non-penalty goals |
0.62 |
Top 5% |
|
Assists |
0.22 |
Top 10% |
|
Progressive passes received |
8.63 |
Top 4% |
|
Shots total |
3.82 |
Top 5% |
|
Key passes |
1.47 |
Top 9% |
|
Shot-creating actions |
3.38 |
Top 9% |
|
Touches (Att pen) |
8.94 |
Top 1% |
|
Stats via FBref |
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As we can extract from the data, the ex-Leipzig forward is the definition of a modern-day target man who thrives in and around the box, using his strength and goal-scoring instincts to cause chaos.
Rashford is one of United’s most creative outlets, as shown by the fact he’s created the second-highest number of chances for the team this season (6), Therefore having a true number nine who is reliable in front of goal would take the decision-making away from the England star in some situations and allow his creativity to flourish.
Brobbey, notably described as a “beast” by scout Jacek Kulig, also ranks highly for key passes, assists, and shot-creating actions, which proves he can elevate others with his combination play. This would bring Rashford into the game more frequently in those left-sided inverted areas where he is most dangerous, making the attacker much more direct and ultimately boosting his output.
The Netherlands ace is also a striker who can practically excel in any game state due to his technical ability and intelligence, which is perfect for Ten Hag’s transition-focused approach.
Overall, Brobbey would be the ideal striker to rival or replace Rasmus Hojlund, who has netted just twice in 16 Premier League games, and he would provide Rashford with the foundations to once again become one of the deadliest attackers in Europe.