German international Julian Brandt will reportedly snub interest from Liverpool and Tottenham in favour of Borussia Dortmund if he leaves Bayer Leverkusen.
According to a report by Sky Sports, Julian Brandt is only in favour of joining Borussia Dortmund when he leaves Bayer Leverkusen in the summer transfer window. The German international’s decision will have come as a bitter blow to Liverpool and Tottenham, who were keen on signing him.
Julian Brandt is one of those rare players that is already considered as an experienced Bundesliga player, despite still being in his early twenties. Having broken into the Bayer Leverkusen first-team setup aged just 17, expectations were naturally high from the young German.
Nearly half-a-decade later, Brandt has progressed leaps and bounds, having also gone through a few lows. But, there is no doubting the fact that he has become an indispensable figure for Bayer. The current campaign has been his most productive till date, with a tally of 9 goals and 17 assists in 42 appearances.
In addition to being a tricky winger, the 23-year-old has also impressed with his versatility, having become a handy creative midfielder this term. And so, the fact that he has been linked with Liverpool and Tottenham does not really come as a big surprise.
At Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp has a well stocked squad. But, the fact that some of his superstars are drawing interest from top clubs across Europe means that he has to keep his options open. To that end, Liverpool have been monitoring Brandt’s progress of late.
Tottenham, on the other hand, have the need to beef up their squad after faltering in their challenge for the Premier League title, although they have reached the UEFA Champions League final. Midfield is one area where Mauricio Pochettino could do with reinforcements, making Brandt a viable target.
What makes the 23-year-old German international an appealing target for Tottenham and Liverpool is the fact that his release clause stands at a mere €25 million. But, the Premier League giants have now been handed a major blow in their pursuit of the player.
Brandt is not interested in making his way to England this summer, with Borussia Dortmund the only club he is willing to join if he decides to leave Bayer Leverkusen. Bayer though, might still be able to keep hold of the German international, if they manage to secure Champions League qualification.
But, in case he decides to leave the club, Borussia Dortmund are his likeliest destination, meaning Liverpool and Tottenham can bid goodbye to their hopes of signing Brandt. The two Champions League finalists must now turn their attention elsewhere for summer reinforcements, with the German international destined to remain in Germany.
