Newcastle United have entered the race to bring Borussia Dortmund midfielder Julian Brandt to the Premier League, according to reports.
What's the latest on Brandt's future?
Eddie Howe is reportedly keen to bolster his midfield ranks in the summer following the departure of Jonjo Shelvey and is likely to be financially backed by the club’s owners, who could be set to receive a significant sum should they qualify for the Champions League.
The Germany international will be out of contract at the Signal Iduna Park next summer, and being Edin Terzic’s best-performing offensive player, – only behind Jude Bellingham overall, as per WhoScored – he has been attracting interest ahead of the upcoming window.
In March, 90min reported that the Bundesliga giants had opened talks with the 26-year-old regarding an extension as a result of the Magpies, Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City all monitoring him, and it sounds as if the north-east outfit have since decided that they officially want to compete for his services.
According to German outlet Bild (via Sport Witness), Newcastle are the latest club to “join the chase” for Brandt, with Howe placing him on his “wish list” for the summer. The Dortmund midfielder has supposedly told those close to him that a move to the English top flight would “definitely appeal” to him, with the Gunners once again name-checked alongside their north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Napoli.
Dortmund sporting director Sebastian Kehl is believed to have offered his star a new deal worth €7m (£6m) per year, but with the significant interest from elsewhere, this game of “poker” could be set to continue for a while.
Would Brandt be a good signing for Newcastle?
Brandt is naturally an attacking midfielder and has been hailed as a “joy to watch” going forward by talent scout Jacek Kulig, so should the hierarchy be able to secure his services ahead of their fellow competitors, Newcastle could be getting a fantastic player.
The Nike-sponsored star has scored nine goals and registered five assists across all competitions this season, via Transfermarkt, whipping in a total of 127 crosses into the final third, highlighting his prolific edge and the threat he provides around the opposition box.
The £116k-p/w playmaker also has the flexibility to operate in a variety of positions across the midfield and the frontline, with this versatility likely to be attractive to Howe, so should the opportunity to sign him arise, we think PIF have a no-brainer of a decision to make.
