The BVB contract puzzle takes shape with Brandt’s acceptance
Julian Brandt’s contract with Borussia Dortmund originally would have expired in the summer of 2024
Quelle: Getty Images/Martin Rose
Somewhat surprisingly, Julian Brandt extends his contract with Borussia Dortmund. In itself, a longer hanging game was expected. The club is apparently making good progress with its negotiations. After Reus, Hummels has now also positioned itself.
Borussia Dortmund has prematurely extended the contract with the recently in-form national soccer player Julian Brandt. The 26-year-old offensive player signed a contract until June 30, 2026. Brandt’s old contract would have expired in 2024.
Brandt was honored as “Player of the Month” by the German Football League in January and February. “Julian has developed enormously in the past year, has become much more focused in the game against the ball, regularly prepares goals and shines as a shooter himself. His instinct for dangerous situations on the pitch, coupled with his technical skills and his creativity, make him a valuable part of our squad,” said Dortmund’s sporting director Sebastian Kehl: “Accordingly, he plays a very important role in our planning and we are happy that he has decided to continue to help shape Borussia Dortmund’s sporting future as a leading player.”
Brandt came from Bundesliga competitor Bayer Leverkusen for 25 million euros in 2019 and initially showed very mixed and fluctuating performances. For a good year now, at least since the change of coach to Edin Terzic, who had an honest one-to-one conversation with him before the season, Brandt has finally been one of the hoped-for BVB key players (competitive game record: nine goals and five assists).
BVB sports director Kehl pushed the pace at Brandt
Brandt’s acceptance in Dortmund is a remarkable decision. The imminent end of the contract in the summer of 2024 and the interest shown by the top clubs Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United and SSC Napoli put Dortmund under pressure. For a long time it looked as if the German national player would let Borussia’s leadership wriggle with a decision until the end of the season. But sports director Kehl pushed the pace and was able to convince Dortmund’s best player of the season of the BVB perspective in the talks.
Brandt said: “Even after four years, I still have a lot of fun every single day being part of this very team, standing on the pitch with these guys and playing football for this highly emotional club with its extraordinary fans. To be honest, the feeling of being in the right place at the right time has always been the most important point in my sporting life.”
Some important parts of the contract puzzle seem to be added to the second in the table. According to a media report, Dortmund also made an offer for a new contract to former world champion Mats Hummels. As reported by “WAZ”, the defender is said to have received “exactly the same contract as Marco Reus” for a year and at reduced salaries.
Hummels is said not to have decided yet
The 34-year-old defender played for BVB from 2008 to 2016 and returned in 2019 after three years at his youth club FC Bayern Munich. Most recently, Hummels, who won two championships and two cups with BVB, was only number three in central defense behind the current internationals Niklas Süle and Nico Schlotterbeck.
In contrast to Reus, where according to a report by BILD the extension is only a matter of form, Hummels is said to have not yet decided.
According to the BILD report, Captain Reus has to accept severe financial losses and will only earn a little more than half of his previous income a year in the future. According to information from the newspaper, the 33-year-old offensive player with an annual salary of twelve million euros is said to have been the top earner so far. With performance bonuses and bonuses, he could in the best case come to around seven million euros in the future.
Reus, who scored eight competitive goals and prepared seven this season, had disappointed in the important games at Bayern Munich (2: 4) and in the DFB Cup at RB Leipzig (0: 2) and was against Union Berlin on Saturday ( 2:1) only came on in the 74th minute. The aging veteran is no longer untouchable at BVB. Coach Terzic justified his reserve role against the Berliners at the weekend as follows: “We wanted to have a lot of speed, especially on the wing position.”
Reus was born in Dortmund and played for BVB from 1995 to 2005 when he was young. After stints at Rot Weiss Ahlen and Borussia Mönchengladbach, he returned in 2012 and has played continuously for Borussia ever since. In 2017 and 2021 he won the DFB Cup.
