Sunderland forward Brian Brobbey is expected to spend a significant period on the sidelines after suffering a serious hamstring injury while on international duty with the Netherlands.
The 23-year-old Dutch international, who is of Ghanaian descent, was forced off after 35 minutes during the Netherlands’ 1-1 Nations League draw with Germany in Amsterdam.
Former PSV Eindhoven team doctor Cees-Rein van den Hoogenband told Sportnieuw that Brobbey had suffered a serious hamstring problem and could be out for some time.
Van den Hoogenband described the injury as a typical example of overuse and raised concerns about the limited recovery periods available to players during an increasingly congested football calendar.
“I hold my breath. I fear that many more will follow,” he warned.
Brobbey’s injury is particularly significant for Sunderland because it comes only days after the striker produced one of the standout performances of his career for the Premier League club.
Four days before the Netherlands faced Germany, Brobbey scored a hat-trick for Sunderland in their 5-3 defeat by Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.
His performance against City highlighted his goalscoring ability and increased his importance to Sunderland following his move from Ajax.
However, that progress was interrupted during the international break when he suffered the hamstring injury against Germany. He was replaced after 35 minutes, with Joshua Zirkzee subsequently called up to the Netherlands squad as his replacement.
Brobbey will miss the rest of the current international window while Sunderland await further medical assessments to establish the extent of the injury and the likely length of his absence.
The setback adds to Sunderland’s growing list of unavailable players during the international break. Romaine Mundle and Habib Diarra have also suffered setbacks, while Dan Ballard picked up a hamstring injury while representing Northern Ireland.
The growing number of injuries comes at a difficult point in the season for Sunderland manager Regis Le Bris, with the club facing a demanding schedule when domestic football resumes.
Sunderland are due to play Brighton on 10 October before travelling to Torreense for their next European commitment. They will then visit Bournemouth before taking on Lech Poznan, leaving the club with a busy run of matches during October.
Brobbey’s potential absence would deprive Le Bris of a forward who had just demonstrated his ability to make a major impact against one of the Premier League’s leading sides.
The striker joined Sunderland from Ajax last year and is contracted to the club until 2029. His recent performances have also attracted attention beyond Wearside, with Manchester United reportedly monitoring the forward as a possible option during the January transfer window.
For now, Sunderland’s immediate concern is the extent of Brobbey’s hamstring problem. The club will await further assessments before determining how long the Netherlands international could be unavailable.
The timing of the injury is particularly unfortunate for Brobbey after his three-goal performance against Manchester City had provided a significant boost to his standing at Sunderland.
His hat-trick came only four days before the Netherlands’ meeting with Germany, where his international involvement ended prematurely because of the hamstring issue.
Sunderland must now prepare for a demanding sequence of fixtures without knowing when their forward will be available again. Further medical examinations are expected to provide a clearer indication of the length of his recovery.
With the club’s October schedule already crowded and several other players unavailable, Brobbey’s injury leaves Sunderland facing another selection concern as they prepare to return to domestic and European action.
