07 Jun 2021 18:41:43
Apparently the Mirror are reporting that Klopp may finally get to add Julian Brandt into his squad. They suggest that Dortmund would be willing to take just €20m (£17m or so) for him.

Some questions for Eds and those who follow the bundesliga:

1) What's his best position? I can see he is pacey, so is he rotation for the front 3 or is he an AM/ CM?

2) It seems like quite a modest sum for a player so highly rated, any problems with him on field or off field? He also seems to have a pretty good injury record - not missed too may days throughout his career.

I would imagine (although only guessing here) that he would be a relatively cheap rotation option up front, hopefully paid for by Origi/ Shaqiri. What do you folks think of him? Ed001, have you ever done an article on him?

{Ed001's Note - I have never really watched him enough to do an article on him mate. I believe he has changed position since I last saw him as well, as he was on the wing when I was watching him, if I remember rightly.}

07 Jun 2021 19:05:04
Would be an interesting move if the club went for it. Think arsenal are keen on him though.

07 Jun 2021 19:49:05
Hi Zed I am far from an expert on the player but I have seen enough of him.
Brandt doesn’t get in the first 11 for Dortmund. He is about as quick as Firmino but doesn’t work as hard. Quite easily dispossessed but when it is going his way he can look very silky. Maybe he could be a Shaq replacement but we have Elliot for that. I think Brandt is now valued around £15m as the decline has already started. It’s a shame as a few years ago he looked like he could become a top player.

{Ed002's Note - Liverpool are not showing interest in Julian Brandt but there is interest from elsewhere but he would not be a Shaqiri replacement and the asking price is not as you have suggested.}

07 Jun 2021 20:39:30
Thanks Ed.

07 Jun 2021 22:37:55
Thanks Ed001 and Ed002. Mark, that’s a surprise that the decline is beginning as he’s only 25 isn’t he? I thought he couldn’t get in due to Sancho?

{Ed0666's Note - I’m waiting for the Simao rumour to resurrect again!

07 Jun 2021 23:05:55
Surely we should finally stand a decent chance of getting him this time around, Ed0666, he can’t have too many other offers on the table, can he?

08 Jun 2021 07:37:55
Brandt - if he moves - will go to Arsenal. The fee will be somewhere in the £40m bracket.

08 Jun 2021 08:27:51
£40m for a 25 year old with 4 goals in 45 appearances last season? Yeah that definitely has Arsenal written all over it. The guy has flopped since he got his big move. Steer well clear. All inspiration, no perspiration.

08 Jun 2021 08:47:17
Thanks Ed02. Good to know we are not interested in Brandt. Brandt is no longer the player he was when we tried to sign him as first choice in the summer of 2017. His move to Dortmund has not gone well in the main and with the numbers MKS just put out there, he has hugely regressed and I'd rather give Elliot the chance to show his mettle than go for a player who is on the downward spiral right now. Arsenal are welcome to him, with the stats MKS put out.

08 Jun 2021 10:06:32
Olired, it's worse when you drill into his numbers. 1 of those 4 goals was in the German equivalent of the community shield. He only has 6 league goals in the last 2 seasons, from about 64 appearances. The defending in the German league is very poor snd he plays for one of the top 2 or 3 teams. Do i'd expect a lot more goals from a player who predominately plays as a winger or attacking midfielder. He admittedly has about 10 league assists too in that time but you can't really quantify the quality of those assists when he's been playing with Haaland who will turn a bad pass on the half way line into a goal.

08 Jun 2021 13:19:12
MKS, That was hard to read. "6 league goals in the last 2 seasons, from about 64 appearances"? Now, that in it of itself alone, is damning. Keep in mind that I was a huge fan of the 2017 version of Julian Brandt and really wanted us to sign him at the time and was disappointed it did not happen (well, we signed Salah instead so who cares what I know, right? ) .

He has regressed by epic proportions sadly for him and with those stats, he is a true Arsenal signing cos they are known for over-paying for absolute duds like Ceballos, Mari, Pepe, and the forever-regressing Willian. Let's not even talk about them giving Aubameyang 375k a week to go missing for almost the whole season.