Ex-Man Utd coach delivers verdict on Brian Brobbey's 'top four' prospects amid Sunderland 'asset' claim
Sunderland striker Brian Brobbey has impressed this season.
Ex-Manchester United coach Rene Meulensteen has praised Sunderland striker Brian Brobbey for the impact he has made on Wearside, while also questioning whether he has what it takes to make the step up to a “top four” side.
The Dutchman has been a standout performer for the Black Cats since establishing himself as a regular starter under Regis Le Bris, and has scored five goals in the Premier League so far this season.
But while Meulensteen, who spent several years as part of Sir Alex Ferguson’s backroom staff at Old Trafford, believes Brobbey can prove himself to be an asset to both Sunderland and the Netherlands’ national side, he has also suggested that the chances of him securing a move to one of the Premier League’s traditional heavyweights remain relatively slim.
What has been said about Sunderland striker Brian Brobbey?
Speaking to BetGoat, Meulensteen said: “I'm happy he's doing well because Brian is a kid that obviously came through the ranks at Ajax, and Ajax always plays an attacking style. And obviously we always get chances and score goals in the Dutch league. He then left, he went to Germany at Leipzig, didn't really set the league on fire, and came back and again he didn't.
“He struggled a little bit, in and out of the team, in and out of the team. So it was interesting to see that he did go to Sunderland where he didn't start initially, but he has now found his feet a little bit. He's a strong player. Sunderland likes to play up to him. He can hold up the ball, can hold off defenders, he can bring other players into play. He's a striker, but he's not a goal scorer, if you know what I mean.
“He can score a goal, but he's not an out-and-out goal-scorer like the likes of Ruud van Nistelrooy was. So therefore, would he progress from Sunderland into a bigger team in the top four? I'm not sure about it. I think he should be really happy and pleased with what he's doing at Sunderland. He's important at Sunderland and he plays his minutes now. I think he needs to keep doing that. Then he might be a really good asset for Holland in the World Cup as well.”
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Meulensteen is not the only prominent figure to speak highly of Brobbey in recent weeks. Addressing his compatriot’s form after Liverpool’s 1-0 victory at the Stadium of Light earlier this month, Reds captain Virgil van Dijk said: “If you use him well, he's obviously a very handful. He's strong, he's fit, much fitter than I think he was over the years. And there's so much more to ask from him, and I'm very, very pleased and I'm happy that he's doing so well for Sunderland.
“Like I said, he's a handful, and 90 per cent of today's challenges Ibrahima had to solve, because he was most of the time with Ibrahima [Konaté]. Maybe he got fed up with me defending in the national team, but I'm pleased for him and hopefully he can take that form that he has, because he's in form in my opinion, towards the rest of the season and take it with us to the World Cup. And that's something hopefully he can do.”
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