Julian Brandt has always carried a goal threat, but the former Dortmund and Leverkusen player made his name in the Bundesliga as a provider. He could pick the killer pass and put his strikers in position to score.
At Ajax Amsterdam, the numbers from Brandt's first season tell a different story. The 30-year-old has scored eight times in 15 appearances for Ajax across all competitions, but he has yet to register an assist in 2026/27.
The lower level of the Eredivisie and Conference League compared with the Bundesliga and Champions League likely plays a part in Brandt's scoring rate. But why has the creative midfielder, who plays as the most attacking of Ajax's three midfielders in their usual 4-3-3, not set up a single goal? Has he become more of a goalscorer than a provider?
Why Julian Brandt still has no Ajax assist
No. Brandt is still creating chances for his Ajax team-mates, but they haven't turned his passes into goals.
Marcos Leonardo is the clearest example. Ajax signed him from Al-Hilal in the summer for just under €20 million amid great expectations. Brandt has sent the Brazilian through one-on-one with the opposing goalkeeper numerous times, but Leonardo has failed to convert any of those clear-cut chances. He isn't alone. At present, the Amsterdam side need too many opportunities to score and aren't clinical enough.
Getty ImagesHad his team-mates been more clinical, Brandt would already have an assist or two. In the 1-1 draw against NEC Nijmegen on matchday eight, the 48-cap Germany international created eight chances. The rest of the Ajax side managed just five between them. He has also been by far his team's best chance creator this Eredivisie season.
Julian Brandt has now even won over Rafael van der Vaart
Those assists look set to come. Borussia Dortmund did not offer Brandt a new contract, prompting his summer move to the Dutch club. Since then, he has scored, dictated play and delighted fans with technical brilliance and several spectacular goals.
Even Rafael van der Vaart has come around, having been sceptical of Brandt at first. The club legend now hails the German newcomer as "Ajax's best player", though Brandt is not particularly interested: "Last time, when he said something different, I was confronted with that a lot too. I don't know, I'm always like: 'Just leave me alone with that rubbish,'" Brandt said on the 'Spielmacher' podcast.
He is also more than satisfied with his choice of club. "For me, the approach this summer was: where am I best placed? And is this the best club, in European terms, compared with other top leagues? Others can judge that. But it is the best for me, compared with the other options I would have had. So, for me, it is still the right decision," Brandt said.
Before joining Ajax, Brandt was without a club for around a month. "I made the decision a little late, logically, because sometimes you wait to see how a few things turn out, but I made it wholeheartedly," he added.