Sunderland are hoping to build on their impressive progress under Regis Le Bris, but the French manager has been handed an early headache after injuries to two important players during the international break.
Dan Ballard remains a major doubt for Sunderland’s return to Premier League action after the centre-back suffered a hamstring problem while representing Northern Ireland.
There is also significant concern surrounding Brian Brobbey, who picked up a muscular injury during the Netherlands’ clash with Germany last week. The striker has quickly become one of Sunderland’s most important attacking players, and his absence would leave Le Bris with limited options in the final third.
Why Brian Brobbey is so important to Sunderland
Brobbey played a crucial role for Sunderland last season following his arrival from Ajax. Although he managed only seven Premier League goals, his physical presence, movement, and ability to occupy defenders made him an important part of Le Bris’ tactical setup.
The 24-year-old appears to have taken another step forward this campaign. His stunning hat-trick against Manchester City immediately before the international break showed exactly why expectations around the Dutch forward continue to grow.
### Brian Brobbey vs Manchester City
* **Minutes:** 90
* **Goals:** 3
* **Touches:** 36
* **Shots:** 5 (4 on target)
* **Accurate passes:** 15/18 (83%)
* **Chances created:** 1
* **Dribbles:** 2/2
* **Ground duels won:** 6/7
* **Aerial duels won:** 4/5
Brobbey had already impressed against Arsenal the previous week, with Sky Sports presenter Dougie Critchley describing his display as an “absolute masterclass.”
His combination of power and physicality gives Sunderland something different in attack. Wilson Isidor provides another option at center-forward, but Brobbey currently appears to be operating at a different level.
Should he develop greater consistency in front of goal, his performances could eventually attract attention from some of Europe’s biggest clubs.
That makes his hamstring problem particularly worrying for Sunderland. With no clear timeline for his return yet, Le Bris could be left frustrated by the quality of his alternative options.
Le Bris has established a clear tactical identity at Sunderland, and both Brobbey and Isidor fit the physical No. 9 profile required by his system.
That could explain why the club is already exploring the possibility of bringing in another forward during the January transfer window.
## Sunderland exploring move for prolific South American striker
While Brobbey has shown that he can produce spectacular performances, his goalscoring record still leaves room for improvement. His three-goal performance against Manchester City came after he had failed to score in four consecutive Premier League appearances.
Sunderland are therefore looking at potential competition for the striker, with TEAMtalk reporting that the club have joined Aston Villa in monitoring Athletico Paranaense forward Kevin Viveros.
The Brazilian club are reluctant to part with their prolific attacker and have reportedly placed a £35 million valuation on the 26-year-old.
Viveros has earned plenty of praise from Athletico Paranaense manager Odair Hellmann, who has labelled the striker a “beast” and a “monster” while also highlighting the technical improvements he has made over the last couple of seasons.
His numbers in Brazil explain the growing interest. Viveros scored 18 goals in 26 Brasileiro Serie A appearances in 2026, finishing as the competition’s leading scorer. He also averaged 4.2 duels won per game, underlining his willingness to use his physical strength against defenders.
There are similarities between Viveros and Brobbey. Both forwards possess the size and power to cause problems for defenders, making the Colombian an intriguing option for Le Bris’ system.
However, Viveros has demonstrated a more natural instinct for finishing. Brobbey produced a memorable performance against Manchester City, but his overall scoring record has never suggested that he is an out-and-out prolific striker.
Even during his Ajax career, Brobbey’s goalscoring numbers fluctuated. He scored seven goals in the 2024/25 campaign, although he had been far more productive the previous season with 22 goals across all competitions.
With Isidor yet to establish himself as a consistently reliable Premier League scorer, Sunderland could view Viveros as the type of forward capable of increasing competition for the starting role.
If his impressive finishing ability in Brazil translates to English football, the Athletico Paranaense striker could give Le Bris another powerful attacking weapon and potentially develop into a key figure for Sunderland over the coming seasons.
