Julian Brandt excitement grows, he could provide spark needed to take Aston Villa to next level
Aston Villa are reportedly interested in Borussia Dortmund midfielder Julian Brandt.
The 29-year-old is set to leave the club following the expiration of his contract this summer, after spending seven years at the club following his move from Bayer Leverkusen in 2019.
Brandt has not hit the heights imagined at the start of his career, but he has remained a classy operator at the Westfalenstadion and is someone who does not shy away from criticism when the going gets tough.
Aston Villa are looking to progress to the next level after multiple years spent fighting among the chasing pack. A player of Brandt’s ilk could help them make that.
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Julian Brandt has not hit imagined heights – but has remained classy
While it feels harsh to say that a player with almost 98 career goals and 121 assists has not hit the heights, it emphasises just how much expectation was placed on Brandt’s shoulders during his early days with Bayer Leverkusen.
Brandt is an old-school number 10 in every sense. While he lacks physical qualities, he makes up for it with supreme technical ability and creative awareness.
As demonstrated by his Sofascore graphic below, he is someone always looking to get on the ball and make things happen for Niko Kovac’s side.
The emergence of Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz have saw his minutes for the German national team become limited, but on his day he still remains one of the best that the Bundesliga has to offer.
His consistency has been called out at times during his spell at the Westfalenstadion. However, that can be said for Dortmund as a club in recent years, who have been the league’s nearly men for the best part of a decade now.
However, Brandt now carries serious experience at the top level, something that could help to elevate Villa to the next level, with the current squad largely being the same as coached by Steven Gerrard before his 2022 departure.
Brandt mentality could elevate Aston Villa
Throughout his time with Borussia Dortmund, Brandt has always been one to take accountability.
During a rough period following the sacking of Nuri Sahin last season, the midfielder was one of the first to acknowledge the criticism, saying: “I see reactions in the stands from our fans. I’m not someone who gives free rein to emotions. I do a lot with myself inside.”
He was also the one BVB player to stand tall after the infamous final day of the 2022-23 season, with Dortmund missing out on the title due to a 2-2 draw with Mainz.
In the aftermath, Brandt was the man who stood tall and spoke to the media that day, with the squad as a whole largely distraught after going into the final matchday in control of their own destiny.
The 29-year-old has been praised across Germany for similar circumstances, due to his willingness to take accountability and never shy away from criticism.
Villa fans will remember Marco Asensio’s loan spell last term – another player who never quite reached the imagined heights at Real Madrid or Paris Saint-Germain.
Making a huge impact at the club, the Spaniard played an integral role in raising the standards at Villa Park.
Similarly, Brandt could be someone to take on a talismanic role in the Midlands, using his top-level experience and know-how to really elevate the club to the next level.
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