NEWCASTLE UNITED CHALLENGES ARSENAL FOR JULIAN BRANDT AS DORTMUND EXIT NEARS
Newcastle United joins Arsenal in the hunt for Julian Brandt. Discover why Andrea Berta is worried and what Brandt said about his future.
Newcastle United want to bring Julian Brandt to St James’ Park, and that’s got Arsenal’s sporting director Andrea Berta worried since he’s been pushing hard to sign Brandt for the Emirates. According to reports from Germany, Newcastle’s interest is real and growing.
Back in March, TEAMtalk’s Graeme Bailey said Arsenal are eyeing a summer 2026 deal for Brandt, who’s set to leave Borussia Dortmund at the end of the season. Berta hopes to land the German international as a free agent, and sources close to the situation say Arsenal are getting ready to make a formal offer for Brandt, who’s racked up 57 goals and 69 assists in 303 games across all competitions for Dortmund.
At 29, Brandt is playing some of his best football. He can slot in as an attacking midfielder or out wide on the left, which fits nicely with what Arsenal need.
But Newcastle aren’t the only club chasing him. Aston Villa are in the mix too, and according to Fussball Daten, both Villa and Arsenal are prepping aggressive offers for Brandt’s creativity. Serie A’s Inter Milan want him, and LaLiga sides Barcelona and Atletico Madrid are keeping tabs as well. Even FC Cincinnati, out in Major League Soccer, has supposedly shown interest.
So, where does Brandt stand? Newcastle’s had a tough season, and they won’t be playing in Europe in 2026/27, while Arsenal could still win both the Premier League and Champions League this year. It looks like Arsenal have the upper hand, but Brandt hasn’t decided where he’ll go next.
Speaking to Sky Germany earlier this month, Brandt said, “Let yourself be surprised. There are many ideas. Not every idea is good, but there are many ideas. In principle, I’m not ruling anything out. But there are things I prefer, and there are things I currently find harder to imagine. As I said, there are one or two ideas, but everything in due course.”
For now, though, he’s focused on finishing the season with Dortmund. According to Brandt, “You don’t have to rush things. We’re approaching the end of the season, but we still have important games ahead. It wouldn’t be fair to the club to start holding talks everywhere. You have to finish things properly, and then you have plenty of time to think about what’s next. I’m not worried about it at all.”
EDDIE HOWE CONFIRMS NEWCASTLE LINEUP SHIFTS ARE PART OF A MAJOR FUTURE STRATEGY
Eddie Howe confirms he is picking Newcastle lineups with next season in mind, trialling players like Ramsey and Woltemade early.
Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe isn’t pretending he’s already thinking about next season. People have been saying Kieran Trippier is close to triggering a payment if he plays more games, so that might influence whether he features again before the season ends. But Howe brushed that off and said he’s making his decisions purely for football reasons.
Talking to reporters at the City Ground about why Anthony Gordon was missing, Howe admitted he’s picking his lineup with the future in mind. Later, in his press conference, he went into more detail about focusing on what comes next at St James’ Park.
"We’re definitely looking ahead," Howe said. "You can see it in some of the choices I’m making with the team. I want to get a look at some players and see how they might grow into the squad."
One of those players is Jacob Ramsey, who came off the bench, set up Harvey Barnes with a great pass, and really changed the game. "I thought Jacob Ramsey was brilliant when he came on against Forest. He really made a difference, and so did Harvey. It’s good to see players taking their chances," Howe said.
He added, "We have to be thinking about the future now and what the team’s going to look like next year. That’s our responsibility at this point."
Before the match, Howe surprised a lot of fans by starting Lewis Hall at right-back, Nick Woltemade in midfield, and pushing Joelinton further forward than usual. Again, Howe explained he wants to see what players can do in different positions.
"It wasn’t some huge change from Brighton; we kept the same shape," Howe said. "But for Nick, this was only one of a few times he’s started in that role for us. He played alongside Will, and they haven’t had much time together either.
"There were positives for Nick, but he wasn’t involved as much as we wanted in the first half. We still need to see his best on the ball. In the second half, though, I thought we got better as a team. We attacked more and looked like a real threat as the match wore on."
MAGPIES EYE £1M BARGAIN TIAGO GABRIEL TO SOLVE GROWING DEFENSIVE INJURY CRISIS
Newcastle are leading the race against Juventus for Tiago Gabriel, the 21-year-old Serie A defensive sensation.
Newcastle United appear to be keeping an eye on Lecce’s young defender Tiago Gabriel as they consider potential options for the summer transfer window.
With Fabian Schar’s contract due to expire at the end of June, the Magpies are preparing for the possibility of his departure. Although an extension is still on the table, Schar has been sidelined since early January because of an ankle injury and doesn't seem close to making a comeback.
At 21, Gabriel has featured 36 times across all competitions this season for Lecce, who are currently four points clear of the Serie A relegation zone. Newcastle’s recruitment team is among those following his development, seemingly interested in exploring a move once the transfer window opens.
Back in December, reports surfaced that both West Ham and Juventus were also tracking Gabriel’s progress. The young defender, who came through Sporting CP’s academy, has had a strong season and will enter the final year of his contract this summer.
Gabriel transferred to Lecce last January for slightly over £1 million, moving from Portuguese club Estrela Amadora. Should he leave this summer, a significantly higher fee might be expected, reflecting his rise in form.
Before joining Estrela Amadora, Gabriel had been part of Setúbal's academy after leaving Sporting in 2020. His performances have earned him regular appearances for Portugal’s Under-21 side, and senior international opportunities may not be far off.
A switch to the Premier League could potentially boost his profile substantially, but he will likely weigh his options with some care.
According to O Jogo, Newcastle continue to monitor his situation keenly as interest around the defender grows.
Regarding Fabian Schar’s future, things remain uncertain even with just weeks left on his current deal. While Kieran Trippier has been publicly confirmed to be leaving upon contract expiration, no similar announcement has come for Schar.
Last week, Howe commented on the defender’s status, noting that no definitive decision has been made yet. He emphasised Schar’s value to the team, pointing out his unique role as a ball-playing defender and his versatility in various defensive setups.
Schar’s influence on the pitch and experience are clearly appreciated, and the club hopes he can regain full fitness before the season concludes. As for any new contract talks, Howe suggested it’s a matter of waiting to see how things unfold.
