Sunderland are facing a significant injury concern after striker Brian Brobbey was forced to withdraw from international duty with a hamstring problem that a Dutch medical expert has described as "very serious."

The 24-year-old had made a stunning start to the Premier League season, netting a hat-trick against Manchester City in his most recent outing and earning a place in new Netherlands head coach Xavi Hernandez's first squad. However, Brobbey lasted little more than 30 minutes in Xavi Hernandez's debut as manager before limping off during the Nations League fixture against Germany.

Expert sounds the alarm

Former PSV team doctor Cees-Rein van den Hoogenband, speaking in an interview relayed by Sport Witness from Sportnieuws.nl, minced no words when assessing the injury. He pointed to the relentless modern football calendar as the root cause of the growing injury crisis across the sport.

"That has a huge medical impact. Everyone can see that from the large number of injuries, both nationally and internationally. However, I have no illusion that anyone will ever listen. The commercial interests are so incredibly high," van den Hoogenband said.

"Of course, it remains a contact sport. If something happens during a tackle, like with Cody [Gakpo], that's all part of the game. But if you look at Brobbey, he has a very serious hamstring injury. That's a typical example of overuse."

A demanding schedule taking its toll

The workload statistics paint a clear picture. Brobbey made 32 appearances for Sunderland last season, has featured nine times for Netherlands in 2026, and had already played six matches for the Black Cats in the current campaign before his injury.

Given the explosive, high-intensity nature of his game, a muscle injury was perhaps an accident waiting to happen. Last season, his sole significant setback was a groin problem that ruled him out for three matches between February and March.

The former Ajax forward also battled an ankle injury at his previous club that disrupted his pre-season preparations before his move to Teesside.

Valued at €40 million by Transfermarkt, Brobbey's absence will be a major headache for Sunderland, who host Brighton & Hove Albion when Premier League action resumes.