Sunderland will block any Tottenham move for Brian Brobbey, even at £50m, and his three league goals all came in one game

Tottenham Hotspur want a new number nine in 2027, but one name on their list looks off the table: Sunderland will block any approach for Brian Brobbey, even if Spurs were ready to pay around £50m.

According to Football Insider, Sunderland have no intention of letting the Netherlands international leave, and a bid in the region of £50m would still not be enough to change their minds.

It is not hard to see why Tottenham are looking. Roberto De Zerbi’s side have climbed to 11th in the Premier League, but they have scored just 10 goals in 10 league games, one of the worst attacking returns in the division.

Why Sunderland can say no

The answer is in the paperwork. Brian Brobbey is tied to Sunderland until the end of the 2030-31 campaign, so the Black Cats are under no pressure to sell, and the report says any attempt from Spurs would be turned down.

That stance looks bold when you put it next to his numbers. The former Ajax striker has 10 goals and two assists in 43 appearances for Sunderland, which is a modest return for a player valued anywhere near £50m.

But Regis Le Bris clearly sees more in him than goals. Brobbey was the man who won the penalty in Sunderland’s 1-0 win over Chelsea, the result that lifted Le Bris’ side off the bottom of the table.

Is Brian Brobbey the striker Tottenham need?

This is where the doubts creep in. Brobbey has three Premier League goals in eight outings this season, and all three came in the same game against Manchester City.

Take that afternoon away and he has not scored in the league in his other seven appearances. For a manager whose side is short of goals, that kind of streaky output is exactly what De Zerbi does not need.

There is also his fitness to think about. Brobbey pulled out of the Netherlands squad this month with a small tear in his upper leg, and he already missed about a month after a hamstring problem at the end of September.

Could relegation change things?

It is not clear whether Sunderland’s position would soften if they went down to the Championship. If that happened, Spurs could well keep an eye on the situation, but nothing suggests Sunderland are thinking that way now.

Verdict: Tottenham should not chase Brian Brobbey at £50m

My view is simple. Spurs need a striker who scores every week, not one who scores three in an afternoon and then goes quiet. Brobbey matters to Sunderland’s fight, but at £50m he would be a gamble on a player who has not yet proved he can be a regular scorer in this league.

A long contract gives Sunderland every right to dig in, and Tottenham have far better uses for that kind of money. The goals problem that cost them at Elland Road, where Leeds kept them out in a 1-0 defeat, needs a proven finisher, and De Zerbi would be better served by someone more consistent in front of goal.