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4.04.2018Bayer 04

Bayer 04 agree new deal with Julian Brandt

Julian is staying! Bayer 04 have agreed a contract extension with Julian Brandt with the retention of the in-demand Germany international laying down a marker. Brandt has penned a new deal to 30 June 2021 extending his current contract that was due to run out in 2019. "With this agreement, we have been able to persuade one of Germany's most coveted players to stay with us," declared Bayer 04 CEO Michael Schade. "Being able to win out against top clubs at home and abroad is a great achievement for us."
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The 21-year-old Brandt has played for the Werkself since the second half of the 2013/14 season and in the current campaign he has scored six goals and provided four assists to date. The Bremen-born forward has clocked up 24 goals and 25 assists in 126 Bundesliga games for Bayer 04. He has also found the back of the net three times in the DFB Cup including an important double in the quarter-final tie against Werder Bremen that paved the way for the semi-final against Bayern Munich on 17 April. And Brandt has also proved himself as a goalscorer in the Champions League, a competition Bayer 04 are looking to return to next season: "I always try to achieve the best possible results," declared Brandt after last weekend's draw against Augsburg. The contract extension, agreed well before the end of the season, demonstrates his belief that Bayer 04 are capable of playing in Europe's premier club competition again next term. Brandt: "I really feel at home here and I can see a great future. That was recently shown by contract extensions for Jonathan Tah  and Lars Bender. Exactly like me, they are both convinced we can achieve something with this team. We want to win titles. And I really want to work with the other lads on that and also assume more responsibility in this team."

'shows Julian's great ambition and courage'

Sporting director Rudi Völler sees Brandt's commitment to Bayer 04 as confirmation of the Leverkusen concept of showing confidence in young and highly talented players early on and helping them to the highest possible level as well as encouraging them to develop: "Julian was already an exceptional player when he joined us as a 17-year-old. The level he's at now would probably not have been achieved as quickly without the playing time he's been able to amass with us," said Völler. "He had to show what he could do early on and he did it brilliantly. We're very happy he's opted to stay at Bayer Leverkusen in spite of other options at top European clubs. That shows  Julian's character, great ambition and courage."

The Leverkusen number 10 showed his true mettle in the summer of 2017. After a disappointing season for Bayer 04 with a twelfth-place  finish,  Brandt said he wanted to "make amends and put things right." He felt "obliged to help put the club back to where it belongs and for me that means being in the top six," said Brandt.

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