Leeds United summer transfer target Julian Brandt joined Ajax on a three-year deal.

Leeds United summer transfer target Julian Brandt has explained his decision to join Ajax.

Germany international attacking midfielder Brandt became a free agent this summer as his contract at Borussia Dortmund expired and Leeds made an offer to the 30-year-old who had been with Dortmund for seven years.

Brandt’s father Jurgen Brandt had paid a visit to Thorp Arch to speak to Leeds officials but the midfielder had the opportunity to sign for other clubs and the German joined Ajax Amsterdam on Friday in a three-year deal.

Speaking in interview for Ajax’s official website, Brandt revealed that Ajax boss Michel had contacted him in May to tell him that the Dutch giants wanted to sign him.

The midfielder said that Michel’s style of play and also a meeting with the club’s Ajax technical director and the “fire in his eyes” were both key factors in joining the club.

Cruyff told Brandt the intent to “level up” after failing to win the Eredivisie for the last years and the midfielder’s past experience of playing at the Johan Cruyff Arena in a 4-0 Champions League defeat of October 2021 with Borussia Dortmund also played a part in helping his decision.

In a detailed explanation, the midfielder said: “I started to have contact with Jordi and Mich where he put the interest of Ajax personally to me.

"Obviously I was really happy about the interest because Ajax is obviously a traditional club but also a great club, a big club.

"In May it was a bit early to speak about”

"In May it was a bit early to speak about okay, what is my decision in the summer. Everybody knows my contract is expiring.

"I think I took my time to take a good decision, to think about what I want, what project I want to join, what I can learn even when I am maybe not the youngest one any more.

"And then the last week or this week we figured it out all the details if it's possible or not.

"I made a decision and now I am here and I am super happy.

"I think everybody of my family and I don't know if I can speak for Jordi but I think as well for Jordi that we are all happy that this happened and now let's see what this season has ready for us."

He added: "I played one time here in Ajax with my club (Dortmund) with my ex club and we lost 4-0. It was a super crazy atmosphere in the stadium.

“One team that played really good football and this is what I kept in my mind”

"It was a bad day for us to be honest, it was a really bad game but it was because there was one team that played really good football and this is what I kept in my mind so when I started speaking to Jordi and he told me about the project. He wanted to level up because of things, because of maybe the past, because you missed to be champions the last three years.

"And in this moment when I saw his eyes I am saw him speaking about what he wanted to do this season I think he put some sparks to me and obviously I not only spoke to Jordi, I also spoke to the coach and when you have a coach who wants to play football which in my opinion and from my perspective is like the DNA of Ajax to play football, to combine, to score a lot of goals, to be successful then I think this fits to me because this was also part of the project, of the vision, of the goal.

"That's why I was having the feeling that I think this is a good plan and a a good idea and for me it's the right step to do."