Arsenal Urged to Sign Brian Brobbey After Hat-Trick vs Man City

Arsenal, Liverpool and Man Utd told to consider Sunderland striker Brian Brobbey

Brian Brobbey's hat-trick for Sunderland in a 5-3 defeat at Manchester City has led talkSPORT pundit Darren Lewis to urge Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United to consider a move for the 24-year-old striker, who joined Sunderland from Ajax in a £17m deal in 2025.

Player: Brian Brobbey, 24, striker
Current club: Sunderland, signed from Ajax for £17m in 2025
Interested clubs: Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United (per Darren Lewis on talkSPORT)
Trigger: Hat-trick at Manchester City in a 5-3 Sunderland defeat
Sunderland record: 10 goals in 38 appearances
Status: Speculation; no formal offers reported

Lewis, speaking on talkSPORT, argued that Brobbey's profile — built on physical dominance, hold-up play and penalty-box aggression — makes him a viable option for top Premier League sides who are short of a traditional centre-forward. The discussion follows a performance at the Etihad that overshadowed the result.

What was said

"I watched him play in the Netherlands game vs Sweden at the World Cup. It was a fantastic example of terrific centre forward play. He was bullying centre-halves, latching onto balls from the wide areas. The way that [manager] Ronald Koeman played him was superb because he was just a one-man wrecking ball."
— Darren Lewis, talkSPORT, on Brian Brobbey's international display

"I see him as an option at Liverpool… with his strength, but his vision and his ability to read the game so well. And to take advantage, latch onto one centre-half, then another. And just intimidate and frighten the life out of them. Man United could really do with somebody with that capability. I think Arsenal could [too], absolutely."
— Darren Lewis, talkSPORT, on Brobbey's potential suitors

"He's very old school and brilliant at what he does and we all love that because we all remember seeing players very much like him. He needs to keep scoring, of course, as a striker because if you're not scoring, the rest of it's irrelevant. But he's not aesthetically pleasing to what most football fans or younger football fans are used to. The kids who grow up playing FIFA. The skills and the tricks and the flicks. I think that we've moved away a little bit from what's effective and what's good on the football pitch to what we like to see. I think the younger generation likes the player that might not score so much… might not hold the ball up all the time, but it's just the way football is. I think if I was a player, if I was a midfielder playing with him [I'd love it]. So good!"
— Danny Murphy, assessing Brobbey's style

Lewis's comments frame Brobbey as a rare commodity: a physically imposing No.9 who can occupy both centre-backs and provide an out-ball under pressure. For clubs whose build-up can become too intricate, that profile offers a direct alternative. Murphy, meanwhile, highlights the central tension — Brobbey's effectiveness is not always easy on the eye, and his transfer value will ultimately be tied to his goal return rather than his style alone.

The numbers

£17m — fee Sunderland paid Ajax for Brobbey in 2025
10 goals — Brobbey's return in 38 appearances for Sunderland
5-3 — Manchester City's win over Sunderland, the match in which Brobbey scored a hat-trick

Those figures explain why opinion is split. A hat-trick at the Etihad is a headline-grabbing feat, but ten goals in 38 games is a solid rather than prolific record. For a club operating at the top of the table, the question is whether Brobbey's broader contribution justifies a significant outlay on top of that goalscoring output.

Why Arsenal's interest is complicated

Arsenal signed Viktor Gyokeres last summer, and any move for Brian Brobbey would come only months later. That alone makes a deal unlikely in the short term. Mikel Arteta has also used Kai Havertz through the middle again, giving the squad a different kind of central option. Brobbey would be a specialist reference point rather than a fluid connector, which could suit certain matches — particularly against deep blocks or physical opponents — but would not necessarily fit every week.

At Liverpool, the need is less urgent. Alexander Isak has shown signs of rediscovering his rhythm, and Hugo Ekitike is expected back later this year. Under Andoni Iraola, recruitment is likely to be driven by tactical suitability and intensity. Brobbey's pressing and ability to pin defenders may appeal, but Liverpool do not appear to be under immediate pressure to add another No.9.

Manchester United are the most logical destination on profile. Their attacking structure still lacks a true focal point. Benjamin Sesko has yet to fully impose himself, Joshua Zirkzee remains inconsistent, and too much of the burden has fallen on others. A striker who can occupy defenders properly and create better conditions for those around him would have clear value. Brobbey fits that brief more naturally than he does Arsenal's or Liverpool's.

Talking points

Is a hat-trick at the Etihad enough to justify a big move, or does Brobbey's 10 goals in 38 games tell the truer story?
Arsenal already have Gyokeres and Havertz. Would signing Brobbey be a smart tactical option or an unnecessary luxury?
Manchester United's need for a focal point is obvious. If they pass on Brobbey, what does that say about their recruitment plan?
Murphy says Brobbey's style is not aesthetically pleasing. Does that matter in a market where effective No.9s are scarce?

What happens next

Brobbey will continue to be assessed on his goalscoring output for Sunderland. Unless he adds to his tally consistently, the interest from Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United is likely to remain monitoring rather than firm bids. Sunderland's stance is also a factor, given he only arrived from Ajax in a £17m deal in 2025. Any club wanting to sign him would need to test that position. For now, Brobbey's performance at the Etihad has ensured he stays on the radar of the Premier League's biggest clubs.