Leeds already working to sign their biggest talent since Rutter & Raphinha

Leeds United need to be aiming for European football next season after they finished 14th in the Premier League in their first year back in the top-flight.

The Whites secured survival after earning promotion to the Championship and Daniel Farke has made it clear that he does not want to battle the drop every year, which is why the European positions should be the target.

In order for that to be a realistic goal for the club, though, the board have to invest in the squad to bring more top-quality players to Elland Road in the summer transfer window.

The recruitment team at Thorp Arch have proven that they can find some top talents, such as Raphinha, Georginio Rutter, and Crysencio Summerville, and they must do so again this summer.

They need to bring in some proven quality to take the team to the next level so that they can compete for a top eight finish in the Premier League next season.

Leeds exploring deal to sign Bundesliga star

It is hard to argue against Raphinha and Rutter being two of the biggest talents the club have had in recent years, as the former was sold to Barcelona for £55m and the latter to Brighton for £40m, making up two of the three biggest sales in their history.

Now, the West Yorkshire outfit are reportedly looking to sign a player who would be the club’s biggest talent since they sold Raphinha and Rutter.

According to the Yorkshire Evening Post, Leeds United are exploring a deal to bring Borussia Dortmund attacking midfielder Julian Brandt to Elland Road in the summer transfer window.

The report claims that the Germany international is set to leave Dortmund at the end of this month to become a free agent, which could make him a bargain addition to the group.

It adds that Leeds believe that they are one of a number of clubs at the table to sign the 30-year-old playmaker, as they work on a deal to sign him on a free transfer.

The outlet reveals, though, that offers are expected from several clubs and that at least one team in the Champions League are keen on him, which could make it difficult for the club to win the race for his signature.

What Julian Brandt could offer to Leeds United

Leeds must keep pushing to convince Brandt to make the move to Elland Road over the chance to play Champions League football because he could be a brilliant addition to the group.

The 48-cap Germany international would arrive as the club’s biggest talent since Raphinha and Rutter because of what he has achieved in his career as a player with Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen.

Brandt would also join Farke’s squad as an instant upgrade on Brenden Aaronson in the right-sided number ten role behind Dominic Calvert-Lewin in the 3-4-2-1 formation, with Noah Okafor on the other side.

The German star scored more goals and created more xA in eight fewer appearances at league level than the USA international in the 2025/26 campaign, which suggests that he would make a greater impact at the top end of the pitch.

Brandt would also join with heaps of experience at the top level of European football, having won the DFB Pokal and the German Super Cup with Dortmund, whilst also playing in two World Cups with Germany.

On top of that, the pending free agent has scored 77 goals and provided 92 assists in 383 appearances in the Bundesliga in his career to date for Dortmund and Leverkusen, showing that he can score and assist goals at an impressive rate at the top level.

No other player in the current Leeds squad has made more appearances in one of Europe’s top five leagues than Brandt has made in the Bundesliga, which speaks to the calibre of player that the club would be signing.

The Dortmund magician would be the club’s best talent since Rutter and Raphinha left because he is an attacking midfielder who has been there and done it on the biggest stages, in World Cups, in the Bundesliga, and in the Champions League, and no one else in the current squad compares to his experience.

That is why Brandt could be a particularly important signing to help them push to qualify for European football next term, as he has plenty of experience of competing at the top end of the table with Dortmund and Leverkusen.