Borussia Dortmund have introduced that Germany worldwide midfielder Julian Brandt will leave the club in the summer.
Brandt, 29, is into the remaining months of a contract due to run till June 2026 and talking following Dortmund’s 2-1 win over Koln in the Bundesliga on Saturday, CEO for sport Lars Ricken confirmed that participant and club have been unable to agree on an extension.
His departure will carry an finish to his seven years at Dortmund, in which period he has made 298 appearances throughout all competitions.
“There were open discussions, and both sides agreed that the expiring contract would not be extended,” Ricken mentioned in a post-match interview with Sky Germany. “He’s performed just a few hundred video games for Borussia Dortmund. I believe we will solely be grateful to him. He performed for us for seven years. He was additionally considered critically at instances. He supplied one other help right this moment. I imagine he’ll be 30 in just a few weeks – we will reassess issues. So, this may very well be a chance for either side.
“We have ultimately reached an agreement and I believe we parted with a great deal of respect. But it’s also another opportunity for both of us.”
Brandt joined Dortmund in 2019, transferring from Bayer Leverkusen. He was a part of the squad that gained the DFB-Pokal in 2021 and in addition the facet that progressed to the remaining of the Champions League in 2024.
He has additionally gained 48 caps for Germany, however has not made an look for his nation since 2024.
Dortmund face summer of reinvention
This was coming. Brandt has nice expertise, however he has suffered by a mid-career hunch over these previous few years. This season has been an enchancment and there have been extra common flashes of his high quality, however this was at all times the most definitely consequence.
Dortmund are trying to reinvent themselves over the summer, maybe with the purpose of changing into youthful and restocking their workforce with extra potential, and Brandt, as one among the highest-earners, was an impediment to that.
An extension by no means actually made sense and, as Ricken says, a parting is logical. Dortmund are well-stocked in Brandt’s place, he’s now not an computerized starter, and an extension into his mid-30s — at least on comparable wages — would have been laborious to justify.