Manchester United striker target ‘might be better’ than Lukaku and Ibrahimovic

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Brian Brobbey, speaking to Goal back in 2020, admitted that he hoped to shed the ‘new Romelu Lukaku’ moniker in favour of making a name for himself in his own right.

Four years on, having scored 12 goals in a testing season for Ajax, and with his form impressive enough to spark talk of a reunion with Erik ten Hag at Manchester United, the broad-shouldered centre-forward is doing exactly that.

But, still, those Lukaku comparisons exist for a reason. The similarities between a Man United striker of the past and a Man United striker of a (potential) future are as unavoidable as they are understandable. Especially when Brian Brobbey pulls of his favourite party trick, outmuscling and ragdolling a nearby defender before swivelling and shooting into the corner.

Bram Nuytink, formerly of Udinese and now at NEC Nijmegen, has gone head to head with both Brobbey and Lukaku during his time in the Eredivisie and Italy’s Serie A. And, as far as he is concerned, Brobbey may be even better than the Roma powerhouse when it comes to putting his fearsome physical gifts to good use in front of goal.

Manchester United eye Ajax striker Brian Brobbey

“Brobbey uses his body really well,” Nuytinck told Voetbal International in December. “I had played against a lot of strong strikers in Italy. Lukaku, (Edin) Dzeko, (Zlatan) Ibrahimovic, you name it.

“But the way Brobbey uses his body might be even better than those guys. I honestly mean that. Brobbey is also really fast and sometimes looks to run in behind. That makes him more special.

“I am one hundred per cent sure that Brobbey could also do this in Serie A.”

But what about the Premier League?

If you thought that INEOS seizing control of all football operations at Manchester United would bring an end to reports linking the Red Devils with some of Ten Hag’s favourite footsoldiers, then think again. The Mirror report that Brobbey could, who won two Eredivisie titles under Ten Hag, could yet follow in the footsteps of Antony, Andre Onana and Lisandro Martinez with Man United in the market for a centre-forward.

Erik ten Hag is a big fan

Brobbey, as you might expect given that he is only 21 years of age, is still far from the finished article. Despite scoring 26 goals in the last season-and-a-half, the Dutch international with a bodybuilder’s physique still misses his fair share of presentable opportunities in the final third.

But, in terms of raw potential and raw power, there is no reason to believe that Brobbey cannot just follow in Lukaku’s footsteps at Man United but outstrip his impact and longevity at Old Trafford.

So long as he fulfils that vast promise of course.

“I just think that is a very great talent,” Liverpool and Feyenoord icon Kuyt tells the KieftJansenEgmondGijp podcast. “I happen to know him well, because we often played against him with Feyenoord’s Under 19s (where Kuty was coaching).

“At the moment, I don’t see anyone who is better than him for the Dutch national team. He is agile and also very explosive. I think he has a little more (ability) than I had, If I’m honest.

“He is so strong.”