Why £57m Sunderland star appears like a greater signing than Brobbey

It has been a disappointing begin to 2026/27 for Regis Le Bris‘ males, nevertheless it’s straightforward to overlook simply what a wild experience it has been for Sunderland lately.

This author, albeit whereas sat within the Wycombe Wanderers finish (sorry), was there the day that the Black Cats secured promotion within the League One play-off last again in 2022, the noise inside Wembley having been deafening amongst these in purple and white.

Simply 4 years on, the Wearside outfit are actually a Premier League membership once more and discover themselves in Europe too, with Le Bris having labored wonders throughout his stellar spell on the Stadium of Mild.

It has been a managerial tenure affected by marquee signings, together with Brian Brobbey, the distinctive Dutchman hopefully set to be again match and firing sooner somewhat than later.

Why Brobbey is now the most effective within the Premier League

Having seen Marc Guiu’s mortgage spell lower quick by Chelsea final 12 months, Sunderland secured a swift alternative with the late, £17.3m signing of Brobbey from Ajax.

Reuters/Lee Smith

It actually felt like of venture on the time, this a striker whom Dutch icon Ronald Koeman had slammed again in 2023, describing Brobbey’s ending and first contact as “not good”.

Nicely, the previous Manchester United goal has actually confirmed Koeman fallacious throughout his time in England thus far, ending his debut marketing campaign with seven targets from simply 22 top-flight begins.

He is already as much as three in 5 outings thus far this time period, all of these having come throughout his standout show within the 5-3 defeat to Manchester Metropolis on the Etihad.

That efficiency confirmed what the 24-year-old is all about, as did his shows on the World Cup, with Brobbey netting three throughout his 4 appearances this summer time.

He is nearly unplayable together with his again to purpose and is beginning to discover a extra constant finish product too, with it no shock that pundit Don Goodman has described the ahead as “the very best striker within the Premier League” by way of his hold-up play and hyperlink play.

What a discount he is confirmed for Le Bris and co, with Brobbey not the one one which Sunderland have struck gold on.

Sunderland have struck gold on their most precious participant

It is nonetheless early days in 2026/27, with the season already disrupted by that prolonged worldwide break, whereas there are additionally these nonetheless maybe enduring a post-World Cup hangover.

A shaky six video games should not overshadow what was a stellar marketing campaign again within the prime flight final time round, with Le Bris main the newly-promoted facet into the Europa League.

There have been even slim hopes of Champions League qualification at one stage, the Black Cats, alongside Leeds United, having bucked the development by way of avoiding a swift return to the Championship.

REUTERS/Scott Heppell

Final summer time’s recruitment was central to that, together with the signing of DR Congo worldwide, Noah Sadiki, the 21-year-old having been such successful in Le Bris’ midfield unit.

Snapped up from Belgian facet Union Saint-Gilloise for a price of simply £15m, Sadiki has arguably been an excellent greater discount than Brobbey, incomes rave critiques for his all-action shows.

In 2025/26, as an example, he began 33 video games within the Premier League, taking to life in England like a duck to water, as did so lots of his new teammates.

He is not one to chip in by way of targets and assists, however boy is he efficient at consuming up floor and dominating the centre of the park, showcasing why he was hailed because the ‘Mini Kante’ again in Belgium.

Already this season, too, he is averaging two tackles and interceptions per recreation, whereas having solely been dribbled previous 0.3 instances per recreation, proving so tough to get the higher of in that midfield position.

There’s additionally been an uptick by way of what he presents in a progressive sense, having averaged 1.2 key passes per recreation thus far, whereas creating two ‘large probabilities’ already. For context, he did not create a single ‘large probability’ within the entirety of final season.

REUTERS/Scott Heppell

Health woes, following his World Cup involvement, have ensured the Black Cats have not fairly seen the very best of him as but this time period, however he stays an actual masterstroke of a signing so far as Le Bris and co are involved.

Rival golf equipment are already sniffing round, together with Xabi Alonso’s Chelsea, with that curiosity little question warranted for a participant who has seen his market worth soar of late.

Certainly, as per CIES Soccer Observatory, Sadiki is deemed to be essentially the most precious participant on the membership, even above the likes of Brobbey, together with his present value mentioned to be at a most of €67m (£57m).

That could be a outstanding rise contemplating his preliminary £15m price ticket, with Sunderland having undoubtedly struck gold with this signing already.