The Hard Tackle speculates three ideal destinations for Chelsea star Timo Werner, who could be on his way out of Stamford Bridge in the summer.
Chelsea have enjoyed a swift turnaround of fortunes following the arrival of Thomas Tuchel this year. The former Borussia Dortmund and PSG head coach has managed to instil more defensive solidity in the team while giving some of the players, including Andreas Christensen, a new lease of life.
However, one player who has still failed to set the Premier League alight is Timo Werner.
The big-money signing from RB Leipzig last summer was a major flop under the leadership of Frank Lampard. And his fortunes haven’t improved under Tuchel either, with the forward yet to be involved in a single Premier League goal in the last four matches.
Overall, the German international has netted only five goals in 27 league appearances – a dismal record for a player of his calibre. It has unsurprisingly left his future at Stamford Bridge in question, with a recent report from Football Insider claiming that Werner could be on his way back to Germany, as early as the upcoming summer transfer window.
It appears Chelsea are unhappy with the progress Werner has made at Stamford Bridge this season. As a result, they are reportedly open to cashing in on the former RB Leipzig player, in an attempt to recoup some of the fortunes they had spent on him last summer.
Here, at the Hard Tackle, we will be taking a look at three potential destinations for Timo Werner, should the striker gets offloaded by Chelsea this summer.
Real Madrid
There is no doubt that Real Madrid are in the market for a new striker this summer, following the struggles of Luka Jovic and Mariano Diaz. And while Karim Benzema has done an incredible job, Zinedine Zidane is in immediate need of a back-up who can complement the ageing Frenchman.
It is also fair to point out that Los Blancos could look at cut-price options, in the aftermath of a pandemic that has seriously affected the European giants from a financial standpoint. And that is where Timo Werner could prove to be an appealing option for the Spanish champions.
A product of the Stuttgart youth academy, Werner is a striker who becomes useful in a counter-attacking setup due to his pace and the movements he offers in the final third. It was evident during his time at Stuttgart and RB Leipzig respectively, but not so much at Chelsea as Tuchel favours a more possession-oriented approach.
Real Madrid, in that regard, should be an ideal destination for the German international. His dynamism and speed are ideal assets for Zidane’s fluidic, counter-attacking system.
In addition, his versatility means the Frenchman can accommodate Werner, Hazard and Benzema in the same attacking lineup, which is quite a bonus as far as the Real Madrid coach is concerned. And having struggled in the Premier League, the Chelsea striker isn’t likely to cost a fortune either, although Madrid may still have to fork out at least €50 million.
Liverpool
Liverpool were the other notable club interested in the services of Werner when he announced his Chelsea move last year. His decision to join the west London giants served as quite a blow for the defending champions of England, who have continued to struggle with Roberto Firmino’s lack of productivity.
However, it won’t be surprising to see the Reds consider a move for Werner once again, should Chelsea make the forward available in the summer. Unlike Tuchel, Jurgen Klopp could be an ideal coach for the German international due to the aggressive pressing and a more direct style of play.
It tunes in well with Werner’s characteristics. He could ideally step in as the number nine, in between the two wide attackers in Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane. Diogo Jota is another option, along with Firmino – making Liverpool one of the most feared attacking units in the league.
That said, it would be a challenge on Liverpool’s part to secure the services of Timo Werner. The 25-year-old plays for their direct rivals in the league, meaning the Reds will either have to spend a fortune or offer Chelsea one of their own players in a swap deal in an attempt to convince the Blues from offloading their offensive asset to a direct rival.
Borussia Dortmund
Should a potential transfer to Liverpool or Real Madrid doesn’t work out, one interesting destination for Timo Werner is a route back to Germany, with Borussia Dortmund likely to emerge as the top contenders.
Although the Black and Yellows weren’t particularly interested in the services of the former Stuttgart prodigy at any point in time, they could be tempted to make a move in the summer, in light of Jadon Sancho’s uncertain future at the club.
The Englishman, though, is not the only one, with Erling Haaland also being linked with a move away from Signal Iduna Park in the summer. Chelsea, in fact, are one of the potential destinations for the Norwegian superstar, meaning it will be interesting to see if the two clubs can work a potential swap deal.
Knowing Haaland’s relatively cheap release clause that can be activated in 2022, Dortmund might be tempted to sign Werner, who has Bundesliga experience under his belt while his versatility serves well for someone like Marco Rose.
The arrival of Werner should also provide Dortmund with an immediate replacement for Haaland or perhaps even Sancho, as the German international can operate out wide – making him an ideal frontman for the Bundesliga giants in their bid to challenge Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig for the league title.