Soccer

Chelsea set to beat Liverpool to €59m signing of RB Leipzig’s Timo Werner

Frank Lampard’s side close to sealing five-year deal for 24-year-old striker

Chelsea are favourites to sign RB Leipzig striker Timo Werner. Photograph: Hayoung Jeon/EPA
Chelsea are favourites to sign RB Leipzig striker Timo Werner. Photograph: Hayoung Jeon/EPA
Jacob Steinberg
Thu Jun 04 2020 - 20:51

Jacob Steinberg

Chelsea are close to signing Timo Werner after holding productive talks with the RB Leipzig forward, who is set to disappoint Liverpool by moving to Stamford Bridge for €59 million.

Frank Lampard has been keen to reshape his attack since becoming Chelsea’s manager last summer and has pushed for the signing of Werner, whose €59 million release clause expires on June 15th. Although the club still have to conclude negotiations with Leipzig, they have offered the striker a five-year deal.

Liverpool had targeted Werner, with Jürgen Klopp telling his board the German international would fit in well at Anfield. However, the financial impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has forced the Premier League leaders to reconsider their budget and they are yet to bid for the 24-year-old, allowing Chelsea to take control of the race to sign one of the most prolific strikers in Europe.

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Chelsea, fourth in the league when it was suspended in March, were under a transfer embargo last summer and have funds available after not making signings in January.

Lampard’s attacking options are also set to be improved by the arrival of the Ajax playmaker Hakim Ziyech, who will become a Chelsea player on July 1st. Ziyech finalised a €40 million move from Ajax in February and the Moroccan will be available next season.

Chelsea have also monitored Lyon’s Moussa Dembélé, Bayer Leverkusen’s Kai Havertz, and Borussia Dortmund’s Jadon Sancho, but it is Werner who has caught Lampard’s eye. The German is comfortable through the middle but his ability to work from the left would allow him to combine with Tammy Abraham, Chelsea’s leading goalscorer.

Werner started at VfB Stuttgart and has impressed since joining Leipzig in 2016. He has 31 goals in all competitions this season and has helped Julian Nagelsmann’s side to reach the Champions League quarter-finals.

Chelsea are also in the market for a left back, with Lampard a huge admirer of Leicester City’s Ben Chilwell. If Chilwell proves too expensive, Chelsea could turn their attention to Ajax’s Nicolás Tagliafico. – Guardian