Who is Julian Brandt? Leeds United eye free transfer of technically gifted Champions League finalist
The YEP looks into Leeds United summer transfer target Julian Brandt.
Leeds United’s search for attacking quality this summer could lead to a move to Germany and Borussia Dortmund star Julian Brandt. As first reported by the YEP, a move is being explored for the 30-year-old attacker who will be available as a free agent.
Elland Road chiefs expect competition for Brandt, who will have plenty of offers on the table. Leeds believe at least one Champions League club is keen on snapping up the experienced free agent.
But their pursuit of Brandt is an exciting one, given his quality and experience at the top level. Below, the YEP rounds up everything you need to know on the Leeds transfer target.
Who is Leeds United target Julian Brandt?
Born in Bremen, Brandt spent his early years at local clubs SC Borgfeld and FB Oberneuland before joining up with VfL Wolfsburg as a teenager. In January 2014, he was snapped up by Bayer Leverkusen for a fee of around €350,000 and given his first professional contract as a 17-year-old.
Brandt made his professional debut in February 2014 and went on to play 215 times for the German club across a six-year period. As a winger or attacking midfielder, he registered 42 goals and 52 assists during that period, earning a place in the Bundesliga Team of the Season during his final year at Leverkusen.
Borussia Dortmund then signed Brandt for €25m in 2019 and he’s been a regular in the seven years since. A total of 307 games has brought 57 goals and 70 assists in the famous yellow shirt. enough for another Bundesliga Team of the Season spot in 2022/23.
Brandt won the 2010/21 DFB Pokal - Germany’s FA Cup equivalent - and helped Dortmund to the Champions League final in 2023/4, where they lost to Real Madrid. The attacking midfielder has been a regular at international level for Germany too, rising through the youth ranks before winning 48 caps and scoring three goals.
What kind of player is Julian Brandt?
Leeds are looking to add technical quality in attack and Brandt would certainly provide that. The 30-year-old operates most comfortably in a traditional No.10 role but during his long career has played on either wing or in central midfield. As a right-footer, he can cut in from the left but also has the technical quality to drift in from the right and create.
Brandt has always combined goals and assists pretty evenly throughout his career, managing double figures for direct contributions in each of his last five Bundesliga seasons. The German’s most productive campaign came in 2023/24 where he registered seven goals and 12 assists in 32 appearances.
The experienced attacker is not blessed with pace or strength but boasts impressive technical quality, with an ability to find pockets of space and work well in tight areas. Like many talented No.10s, he can pick a pass and has a decent shot from distance, two things Leeds probably lacked last season.
What has Julian Brandt said about his future?
It was confirmed as far back as March that Brandt’s Dortmund contract would not be renewed, with the attacking midfielder given plenty of time to weigh up his options. Leeds are expecting their target to have plenty of offers, something he hinted towards in April.
“Let yourself be surprised. There are many ideas, not every idea is good, but there are many ideas,” Brandt told Sky Germany. “In principle, I’m not ruling anything out. But there are things I prefer, and there are things I currently find harder to imagine. As I said: there are one or two ideas, but everything in due course.”