This comes a bit out of the blue: Julian Brandt has found a new club. The longtime Dortmund player has signed a three-year contract with Ajax Amsterdam. There, he could soon be playing alongside a former national teammate.
It was apparently a very well-kept secret: Julian Brandt has found a new club—but one that didn’t appear in any of the numerous media reports about his future. The longtime Dortmund player has signed a contract with Ajax Amsterdam that runs through 2029. The club announced this on Friday evening.
“We’ve been in talks for several months, and he also had the opportunity to sign with other clubs,” Jordi Cruyff, technical director at Ajax, is quoted as saying. “With Julian, we’re bringing in a top international player with a lot of experience and a fantastic attitude.”
Ever since it became clear in March that he would be leaving BVB, the skilled playmaker had been linked to several clubs abroad. Among others, AS Roma and Atlético Madrid were repeatedly mentioned as potential new clubs for the 48-time German international; most recently, Premier League club Leeds United was also rumored to be in the running. Instead, Brandt is now heading to the Dutch capital—until then, nothing had leaked to the public about the contact, which apparently had been ongoing for some time.
This marks the first time in his career that Brandt will seek his fortune abroad. It had already been clear since early March that Brandt and Borussia Dortmund would part ways after seven years marked by ups and downs. In front of TV cameras, BVB managing director Lars Ricken confirmed that Brandt would be moving on in the summer of 2026.
“There were open discussions, after which we agreed that the expiring contract would not be extended,” Ricken explained at the time on Sky, referring to it as an “opportunity for both sides.” After leaving Dortmund on a free transfer, a move abroad was quickly on the table.
Olympic silver medalist, Confederations Cup participant, DFB Cup champion
Throughout his career, Brandt had previously played exclusively in the Bundesliga—and for only two clubs. In the 2013–14 season, the 48-time German senior national team player—who won Olympic silver with the DFB squad in 2016 and the Confederations Cup in 2017—turned pro with Bayer 04 Leverkusen.
Brandt played a total of 215 competitive matches for Bayer Leverkusen before taking on a new challenge in the summer of 2019. At Borussia Dortmund, the blond-haired player wasn’t always without controversy, but he was always in demand. In his first six seasons with BVB, Brandt consistently made at least 30 Bundesliga appearances. A mark he narrowly missed only in his final season in black and yellow.
Soon to be teaming up with ter Stegen?
His greatest success with BVB—for whom he played a total of 307 competitive matches—was undoubtedly the 2021 DFB Cup victory. In the 4-1 win over Leipzig, however, Brandt didn’t come on until stoppage time, replacing the outstanding Marco Reus.
Now—much like Mario Götze did in the past—he wants to reignite his career in the Netherlands following his departure from BVB. There, he could soon be playing alongside his former national teammate Marc-André ter Stegen. The goalkeeper is also reportedly on the verge of a move to the historic Dutch club.
