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#3 Julian Brandt (Bayer Leverkusen & Germany)
Estimated Fee: €60m
One if the rising stars of German football, Brandt’s arrival on the scene has been like a breath of fresh air given how agonizing the unfulfilled potential of players like Marco Reus & Patrick Hermann has been.
The chubby-cheeked, fresh-faced 21-year-old has lit up the Bundesliga with his pace, dribbling skills and overall contributions to his Bayer Leverkusen side.
The latest right-footed winger to emerge at the Bay Arena (following in the footsteps of players like Andre Schurrle, Heung Min-Son, Karim Bellarabi amongst others), Brandt is very comfortable playing on either flank or just behind the main striker.
Like all 21-year-olds, Brandt is still a bit inconsistent with his application and final delivery but with his promising skill set, this is an issue that will be smoothened out as he grows older.
He played a big part in Germany’s Confederations Cup win in 2017 and should he continue his upward trajectory, it will be difficult for Die Mannschaft coach Joachim Löw to drop the youth product from Leverkusen from the final 23-man squad for the World Cup.
He would be an ideal replacement for Hazard at Chelsea as his experiences playing for a team like Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga and the Champions League as well as for Germany means that he won’t be fazed by the prospect of replacing a player as gifted as the Belgian national team’s captain.
