Germany international snubbed Liverpool for the 2018 World Cup

Bayer Leverkusen winger Julian Brandt has revealed he turned down the chance to join Liverpool this summer after focusing his attention of making the Germany squad for the 2018 World Cup.

Liverpool and Bayern Munich were heavily linked with a move for Brandt at the end of last season and it was thought the 21-year-old would end up leaving Leverkusen for one of those two clubs.

Jurgen Klopp’s side instead broke their club-transfer record to sign Roma winger Mohamed Salah and Brandt has now revealed he has opted to stay at Leverkusen as he believes it will give him his best chance of making Jogi Loew’s World Cup squad next summer.

“My gut feeling and my head are telling me the time to move has not arrived yet,” he told Kicker, via TEAMtalk. “I have to straighten things out in Leverkusen.

“Of course there are players who say a year without European football before the World Cup is good reason to move.

“But if you move to a bigger club a year before the World Cup, you risk taking time at first to settle which possibly means playing fewer games.”

Brandt only has two years remaining on his existing Leverkusen deal and it is likely he will make a high profile move away from the club after the World Cup regardless of whether he is part of the Germany squad in Russia or not.

The youngster made his Germany debut in May 2016 and is currently away at the Confederations Cup with Loew’s side as they look to follow up their World Cup success from 2014.

Leverkusen limped to a disappointing 12^th place finish last season and more will be expected of the club and Brandt if he is to really force his way into the reckoning next summer.

Brandt provided more assists than any other teammate in the Bundesliga last season (8) – one more than he managed in his three previous seasons combined.

For more stats Julian Brandt, click here to visit his WhoScored player page