FC Bayern Munich is reportedly looking to Sunderland for new attacking talent for the upcoming season, targeting a player who was once a nightmare for Jonathan Tah.
According to The Independent, the German record champions are considering former Leipzig striker Brian Brobbey, currently playing for AFC Sunderland, as a summer transfer option. The report suggests that Bayern has already been monitoring the 24-year-old Dutch international.
Brobbey joined the ‘Black Cats’ just before the current season for over 20 million euros from Ajax Amsterdam. However, according to Independent information, the striker would not come cheap, with interested clubs likely needing to spend around 50 million euros.
At Bayern, Brobbey could serve as a backup to the undisputed starter Harry Kane. This role is currently filled by Nicolas Jackson, but it is considered unlikely that the Senegalese player, on loan from Chelsea until the end of the season, will remain in Munich beyond the summer.
Bayern is reportedly managing to avoid the buy-out clause integrated into the loan contract, which is triggered after a certain number of starts, due to Jackson’s limited playing time. Media reports suggest that the 24-year-old could instead move to AC Milan in Serie A.
Could Anthony Gordon Join FC Bayern?
Nevertheless, it is highly improbable that Bayern would invest such a significant transfer fee in a player intended solely for a secondary role. Especially since Brobbey has not been particularly outstanding for Sunderland this season, with six goals and one assist in 25 Premier League appearances.
Furthermore, according to Sky, Bayern is reportedly seeking players with a more versatile profile than the classic center-forward Brobbey. The club is primarily looking for a backup and challenger for Luis Diaz on the left wing, ideally a player who can cover both positions.
In this regard, there have been numerous consistent reports of ‘very concrete’ interest in Anthony Gordon from Newcastle United. According to a Sky report, the English international is the ‘absolute top target’ for the left-wing vacancy behind the indispensable Diaz.
Unlike Brobbey, the 25-year-old is considerably more versatile and can play not only as a winger but also as a central striker or even an attacking midfielder behind a striker like Kane. Bayern could also benefit from Newcastle’s potential need to sell key players due to Financial Fair Play (FFP) difficulties.
Brobbey: A Tah Nightmare and a Leipzig Flop
Sky mentions a potential price tag of up to 70 million euros that Bayern might offer for Gordon. However, despite the alleged pressure due to FFP regulations, this figure might only elicit a slight smile from the Magpies, as the English international is reportedly also sought after by financially strong English top clubs, such as Arsenal.
It is clear that both players will not be joining Säbener Straße next summer, as such high expenditures in a single transfer window would not align with Bayern’s supposed medium-term personnel strategy.
Moreover, there is another risk associated with Brobbey. The Dutchman was once a significant transfer disappointment at RB Leipzig. He failed to score in 14 games and eventually returned to his former club Ajax for 16 million euros. He then truly blossomed there, scoring 56 goals in 163 games before moving to Sunderland.
Bayern defender Jonathan Tah might still have vivid memories of Brobbey, as the striker caused him considerable problems in a Nations League match between Germany and the Netherlands in September 2024 (2-2). Tah often had to resort to fouls to stop Brobbey and had to be substituted at halftime to avoid a second yellow card.