Report: Timo Werner 'Waiting' for Liverpool Amid Man United, Barcelona Rumours
February 27, 2020
RB Leipzig forward Timo Werner is reportedly waiting to see whether Liverpool raise interest in his signature ahead of the summer transfer window, despite reportedly attracting offers from Barcelona and Manchester United.
Simon Hughes and Raphael Honigstein of The Athletic reported both Barca and United have made proposals to sign the player, who is holding out to see whether Liverpool enter the race.
It's understood Werner is available for £51 million provided a transfer is agreed before an April deadline. This could fit Jurgen Klopp's plans, as The Athletic highlighted it was around March that moves for Fabinho and Alisson "really got going" in recent years.
Sport1 reported earlier in February that the Germany international's release clause could be as low as £30 million (h/t MailOnline's Amitai Winehouse).
Liverpool boast a 22-point lead at the top of the Premier League, with Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino integral to the club's evolution.
A move for Werner would not be made with the intention of replacing anyone among that forward three but rather improving competition. Adam Lallana will be a free agent in the summer and isn't expected to sign a new deal at Anfield, while it appears back-up winger Xherdan Shaqiri could also be moved on.
Werner has made little effort to disguise his admiration of Liverpool lately and told Viasport he was "very proud" to be linked after his penalty saw Leipzig beat Tottenham 1-0 on February 19:
Naby Keita was the last Bundesliga recruit to join Liverpool, moving from Leipzig in July 2018. Werner could reunite with his former team-mate on Merseyside, while Hughes highlighted an intriguing link between him and compatriot Klopp:
Simon Hughes @Simon_Hughes__Hello lunchtime. It is not a defining feature of this story but it is a convenient subplot. Klopp’s grandmother Anna knitted him a white jumper in the style of Stuttgart’s kit, with Karlheinz Forster’s No 4 on the back. Forster is Timo Werner’s agent. https://t.co/DMLTRmddnA
The German—who turns 24 on March 6—has scored 27 times in 33 appearances across all competitions this season and is in contention to win the Bundesliga's Golden Boot.
Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski has scored 25 times in the league compared to Werner's tally of 21, though the latter could seize his chance after the former was ruled out for four weeks with a knee injury.
Statman Dave compared his domestic tally with other highly touted youngsters among Europe's elite:
Liverpool's latest financial reports showed a pre-tax profit of £42 million for the 2018-19 financial year despite investing a record sum of £223 million on players over that period. The club refrained from making any major first-team signings last summer and is sure to have cash in reserve should Klopp wish to spend in 2020, particularly if the Reds win the Premier League (and possibly more).
Europe's giants have seemingly begun to sound out Werner following reported high demand regarding his signature, but the forward appears to have prioritised a switch to Anfield.