A Dutch report claims the Red Devils previously explored a move before the striker chose Wearside instead
Manchester United reportedly attempted to sign Sunderland striker Brian Brobbey prior to his move to Wearside last summer.
That is according to Dutch outlet Voetbal International, which has revisited the Netherlands international’s career path in a feature examining his development since joining Sunderland. Brobbey arrived from Ajax late in the transfer window in a deal beleived to be worth around £17million, potentially rising by a further £4million in bonuses. After a steady bedding-in period, the 23-year-old has grown into a key figure under Régis Le Bris.
He has scored five goals and registered one assist in 21 Premier League appearances this season and has become Le Bris’ preferred option leading the line during the second half of the campaign. Voetbal International explain that Sunderland’s move materialised quickly after an unexpected change in their summer plans. The Black Cats had initially brought in Marc Guiu on loan from Chelsea, but the striker was recalled before the window closed following an injury to Liam Delap. Sunderland were therefore forced back into the market and ultimately decided to pursue Brobbey.
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The Dutch publication also claim Brobbey previously had the opportunity to join Manchester United in 2022 when his former Ajax manager Erik ten Hag took charge at Old Trafford. Reports in the Netherlands at the time suggested a potential fee in the region of £34million had been discussed, though Voetbal International state the forward chose not to make the move. It is further claimed that Brobbey turned down interest from Italian side Como last summer before opting for Sunderland, with the magazine suggesting the decision has proven to be a positive one.
Le Bris recently praised the recent impact of Brian Brobbey, who now has five Premier League goals to his name and continues to grow in confidence. “Brian is getting better. He can fight, he can run, he can press and he can defend. He is getting more confident and building connections with his teammates, and he’s been scoring goals, which is really important, especially for a striker.”
In other mews, Sunderland are reportedly among a host of clubs monitoring Bournemouth defender Marcos Senesi, though Spanish giants Barcelona are said to be leading the race for his signature.
According to a report from TEAMtalk, the 28-year-old centre-back is set to leave the Vitality Stadium at the end of the season after informing the club he will not sign a new contract. Senesi is due to become a free agent this summer, a situation that has inevitably attracted widespread interest.
TEAMtalk claim that Sunderland have registered interest in the Argentine and have held discussions with his representatives, alongside Premier League sides including Tottenham, Everton, Aston Villa and Newcastle United. Chelsea are also said to have explored the situation in recent months, though those talks are described as preliminary.
Senesi joined Bournemouth from Feyenoord in 2022 and has been a consistent presence in their back line. This season he has started every Premier League game he has been available for, helping the Cherries keep five clean sheets in 25 league appearances while also contributing four assists from defence. However, the strongest interest is believed to be coming from abroad. TEAMtalk report that Atletico Madrid have made their admiration clear, while Italian clubs Juventus and Napoli have also shown interest.
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