Everton Set Sights On Bundesliga Star After Agreement Reached: How Moyes Can Use Him? | OneFootball

Everton have maintained a close watch on Borussia Dortmund midfielder Julian Brandt ahead of a potential summer move, according to a report from Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider. The Toffees are now seriously considering a summer approach for the 29-year-old, who has officially agreed to depart Dortmund when his contract expires at the end of the current campaign.

Sources strongly linked Moyes’ side with Brandt earlier this season, and those conversations have regained momentum following confirmation that he will become a free agent. Everton‘s recruitment team views Brandt as a genuine upgrade to their attacking output, though they are braced for fierce competition across Europe given the player’s track record and adaptability across multiple positions.

The former Bayer Leverkusen man has accumulated nine goal involvements from just 20 Bundesliga appearances in 2025-26, building on a 15-involvement campaign last season. His 48 senior caps for Germany further underline his pedigree, even though his international career has not been without turbulence. Brandt was part of the squad that exited the Group Stages at the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Crucially, the midfielder has spent his entire senior career in the Bundesliga, so a move to Goodison would represent completely new ground for him.

Can Julian Brandt Finally Give Everton The Creative Spark They Have Needed For Years?

DORTMUND, GERMANY – NOVEMBER 25: Julian Brandt of Borussia Dortmund runs with the ball during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD5 match between Borussia Dortmund and Villarreal CF at BVB Stadion Dortmund on November 25, 2025 in Dortmund, Germany. (Photo by Christof Koepsel/Getty Images)

Everton’s season under Moyes in 2025-26 has been a familiar story of defensive solidity paired with creative limitations in the final third, a problem that has persisted for several years. Brandt, at 29, sits in the most productive window of his career, offering exactly the profile Everton currently lacks: a technically fluent central midfielder who reads space cleverly, progresses the ball with purpose, and contributes directly to goals.

His strengths are clear. His ability to operate in central midfield, attacking midfield, and on either flank gives Moyes genuine tactical flexibility, something Everton rarely enjoy in their options going forward. He presses intelligently, combines efficiently in tight spaces, and consistently registers double-figure goal involvements; a standard very few players across Europe maintain at his level over consecutive seasons.

Brandt’s weakness, however, is consistency when the pressure intensifies in high-stakes matches. Brandt has occasionally gone quiet for Dortmund on big European nights, showing a tendency to fade when physicality dominates proceedings. Premier League football will test that aspect of his character sharply, and adapting to English football’s pace after a career in Germany presents a genuine unknown.

On balance, the free transfer element makes this a low-risk, high-upside opportunity for Everton. Moyes could deploy Brandt in a number 10 role or as a left-of-centre eight in a 4-2-3-1, freeing him to link play and arrive late into goalscoring positions. This summer, expect several Premier League and Bundesliga clubs to table offers, but if Everton move decisively and early, Brandt represents arguably the most cost-effective attacking upgrade available to them.