Arsenal ace Kai Havertz has now talked up his relationship with Julian Brandt amidst head coach Mikel Arteta targeting the midfielder’s transfer from Borussia Dortmund.
The 27-year-old has caught the Gunners’ eye with his sublime performances at BVB. Brandt is one of the Bundesliga giant’s most important players having established an essential place over the last few seasons. He has even influenced 12 goals in just 18 outings so far this term.
Brandt has scored six and assisted six goals across all competitions with four and five during 12 Bundesliga games respectively. The Bremen-born playmaker also scored once at home to Newcastle United in the Champions League, doubling Borussia Dortmund’s lead in a 2-0 win.
Arsenal and Newcastle United are targeting Julian Brandt’s transfer
What the attacking midfielder, who can also play on the wing, produced against the Magpies clearly impressed Eddie Howe. The Mirror reports that Newcastle now want to rival Arsenal over Brandt’s transfer in January. The Gunners have scouted the 47-cap German for a while.
Borussia Dortmund have so far refused to consider all bids for their £22m arrival from Bayer Leverkusen in May 2019. They also tied him down with a new contract until June 2026 back in April. It followed Brandt scoring 10 and assisting nine goals in 42 fixtures over last season.
A transfer to Arsenal would reunite Brandt with a close friend of the Borussia Dortmund ace in Havertz, though. During a quick-fire Q&A for the Gunners’ club YouTube channel, Havertz hastily replied, ‘Julian Brandt from Dortmund’, when asked who his best friend in football is.
Borussia Dortmund have already ruled out selling Julian Brandt
Havertz and Brandt built up a close friendship whilst together at Bayer Leverkusen between 2014 and 2019. Die Werkself added Brandt to their ranks, which featured academy product Havertz, from VfL Wolfsburg. The pair would play in 89 games together before parting ways.
Including at all age levels with the German national team, Havertz and Brandt have played in 106 matches together. But Arteta is unlikely to see them increase their tally with Arsenal this season. BVB sports director Sebastian Kehl has already moved to rule out his exit in January.
“We didn’t extend Julian Brandt’s contract until 2026 in April for nothing,” he told BILD. “He is a very important part of our team. That’s why a transfer is absolutely out of the question.”
Arteta would no doubt love to link Havertz and Brandt in Arsenal’s engine room if a transfer from Borussia Dortmund was viable. BVB and Germany defender Nico Schlotterbeck hailed Brandt as ‘outstanding’ last season given his incredible creativity under manager Edin Terzic.
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