Ajax star Brobbey must snub Man Utd AGAIN

Imre Himmelbauer

• Updated: 20 Jan 2024 21:31 GMT
• 8 min read

Brian Brobbey is once again being eyed by Manchester United, according to a report.

The striker has made a big impression at Ajax this football year and was already wanted by Erik ten Hag's club back in 2022 after the Dutchman arrived at Old Trafford. At the time, however, Brobbey preferred a return to Amsterdam to a move to the Red Devils despite the latter being his 'dream club.'

Now, according to Sky Germany's Florian Plettenberg, the Manchester giants are once again keen on snapping the Dutch international up. However, according to data from SciSports, a transfer to United is not the best next step for the 21-year-old attacker and he should snub them again.

Although Ten Hag wants to do everything he can to bring Brobbey to Man Utd this month, Ajax do not intend to cooperate. The Amsterdammer is still under contract at the Johan Cruyff ArenA until 2027 and will play an important role in the second half of the season.

According to Plettenberg, it is not inconceivable that Ten Hag, if a transfer does not materialise this month, will try for Brobbey again next summer. It seems the Red Devils boss wants to reunite with his former Ajax protégé at all costs.

Brobbey having a great season

Brian Brobbey is one of the best-performing strikers in the Eredivisie this season.

It is not surprising that United are keen on Brobbey given his performances. The one-time Dutch international is one of the few bright spots at Ajax this season and has been regularly notching goals and assists in recent months.

In total, Brobbey has managed to score 13 times and provide 4 assists in 25 matches. Last Sunday, he impressed yet again in the match against Go Ahead Eagles (a 2-3 win) by scoring the opening goal in the 27th minute. Data from SciSports underline that the Amsterdam native is indeed having an excellent season.

Of all Eredivisie strikers, Brobbey is deemed the fifth-best in the Dutch competition. Only Vangelis Pavlidis (AZ), Sylla Sow (Go Ahead Eagles), Luuk de Jong (PSV) and Robert Mühren (FC Volendam) have outperformed him. The right-footer excels at dribbling and choosing a good position in attacking situations. He also contributes relatively well defensively for a striker.

Newcastle a better option

However, according to SciSports' Career Advice Tool, Man Utd are far from the best club for him. Brobbey has a Club Fit rating of just 70 with the Red Devils. This is partly because the striker's playing style does not fit very well with that of United and he also does not have much of a prospect of regular playing time at Old Trafford. Due to the high level of the Premier League, Brobbey could, of course, develop well in Manchester and the formation that Ten Hag plays also suits him well.

Newcastle United would be a better club for Brian Brobbey than Manchester United, according to SciSports' Career Advice Tool.

In December, it was reported that Newcastle United are also interested in the centre-forward and that seems like a much better step for Brobbey, as the Magpies boast a Club Fit of no less than 83. The development opportunities are slightly smaller in the North East and the formation of Eddie Howe also fits less well.

However, the prospect of playing time is a lot better and Brobbey's playing style fits perfectly with that of the tenth-placed Premier League side. Newcastle mainly play with poachers, strikers who are good at finishing crosses and like to shoot from inside the box. Sought-after Alexander Isak and the ageing Callum Wilson both fit this profile, as does Brobbey, which would most likely make it easier for him to settle at St. James' Park.