Sunderland have agreed a £21.2million deal for Ajax striker Bryan Brobbey as Marc Guiu looks set to return to Chelsea
Sunderland have agreed a deal to sign Bryan Brobbey from Ajax in a move worth an initial £17million plus £4.2million in add-ons, according to Fabrizio Romano.
Romano adds that the total package to take the player to Sunderland from the Netherlands is valued at around £21.2million, with the Dutch international set to undergo his medical later today before completing the switch to the North East.
The move comes after Sunderland agreed to send Marc Guiu back to Chelsea following a recall request from the Premier League side. With Guiu departing, Sunderland moved quickly to secure a replacement, identifying Brobbey as their top attacking target heading into deadline day.
Le Bris had made it clear he wanted another versatile forward to complement Sunderland’s attacking options during their first Premier League campaign since promotion. Brobbey, who also enjoyed a brief spell with RB Leipzig before returning to Ajax in 2022, brings pace, power and clinical finishing alongside the technical ability to link play in the final third.
The deal represents another significant statement of intent from owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus, with Sunderland’s summer spending now exceeding £150million as they look to cement their Premier League status.
Brobbey’s arrival is set to be followed by further activity, with Sunderland also working on a loan deal for Lutsharel Geertruida from RB Leipzig, which includes an option to buy. The club are aiming to complete both deals before the transfer deadline at 7pm on Monday.
Brobbey is expected to be unveiled later today, with confirmation from Sunderland anticipated once he has completed his medical and signed his contract.
Le Bris offers Dan Neil contract update
Le Bris has provided an update on the club’s ongoing contract talks with midfielder Dan Neil, who has entered the final 12 months of his current deal.
Neil could leave for nothing next summer if no agreement is reached, but Le Bris remains optimistic that a solution can still be found before the player can technically sign for another club in January. “It’s the normal life of a player and a club,” Le Bris said.
The Sunderland head coach added: “It is always a shared decision in the end. If we can’t find a solution and he stays, then I, as a manager, will be happy because he is a good player and a good person. He is really well-connected with the project.”
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However, Le Bris still sounded hopeful when pressed further on the situation between Neil and the club: “Then at the end of the season, if he has to leave, then he will leave if we can’t find any other solution. I still think there is a chance of progress [over a contract], though. I am still optimistic.”
Neil, 23, reportedly turned down interest from Premier League and La Liga clubs earlier this summer to remain at Sunderland and fight for his place in Le Bris’ side. Despite fierce competition for midfield spots following a significant summer investment, his focus remains on fulfilling his boyhood ambition of representing his hometown club in the Premier League. Despite that, a new deal between Neil and Sunderland has yet to be agreed upon.
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