It’s no secret that Julian Brandt has emerged as Liverpool’s no.1 summer target and it’s clear the club will do all they can to snare the 20-year-old German at the end of the season.
But how much do we know about the flying inside-forward?
His performance against Atletico Madrid on Tuesday night told us much about why Jurgen Klopp is so desperate to secure him, despite Bayer Leverkusen losing 4-2 to Diego Simeone’s European experts.
Much like Sadio Mane, Brandt can start sprinting with the ball at this feet from standstill, which is brilliant for the counter-attack. He can beat fullbacks either on the outside or inside, and has the ability to stick his head up and ping a zipped, first-time pass – the kind we were rarely making offensively in January.
He’s also hungry and harries opponents in possession, making two key interceptions and proving he’ll be perfect for Liverpool’s all-action pressing game.
What’s more, he’s not afraid to do his work defensively – something Klopp also demands.
For us, this kid looks a serious player- and this was in a convincing defeat…
We’ll try to provide more of these highlight clips before the end of the season.