5 players whose release clause could be activated soon

#4 Julian Brandt (Bayer Leverkusen)

Julian Brandt

It might’ve been a poor season for Bayer Leverkusen, disastrous even, but there was one major bright spot -- Julian Brandt. Still only 21, his performances of last season have seen his stock rise despite featuring in a weak Bayer side.

The young German often features as a winger, but can also hold the line himself and work hard, pressing from the front. Often situated on the left, Brandt is given a lot of freedom and is able to drift inside and contribute to attacking transitions. At over 6 ft, he’s quite the unorthodox wide presence too and he uses the physical prowess often to his advantage.

Brandt has all the qualities you’d expect from a winger including the ability to beat his opponent with either speed or skill, and his decision-making in the final third continues to improve.

His ability to defend is notable too, and Brandt is a player willing to sacrifice himself for the team and provide extra support for the midfield. It’s impressive from a young player, this in-game intelligence, and after racking up 100 appearances recently for Bayer he became the youngest player to do so for the club at 21 years and 116 days.

This experience for such a young player has seen his game develop rapidly, and as a regular for Bayer, it is clear to see the areas in which he’s developed. He might well be considerably better by the time his €17m release clause becomes active in the summer of 2018.