In a recent print edition, SportBild (via Sport Witness) mentioned that Chelsea forward Timo Werner is on Borussia Dortmund’s radar after the German side identified him as a replacement for Erling Haaland. However, it is believed that Dortmund cannot afford to pay the Blues striker’s €20m per year wages which could make it difficult for them to land him at the end of this season.
Werner’s Unimpressive Spell At The English Capital
Werner has experienced an underwhelming spell at Stamford Bridge thus far as he has struggled to be consistent for the London giants in front of the opposition goal. The German marksman has scored 12 goals and grabbed 15 assists in 56 matches for his current employers on all fronts.
The 25-year-old failed to be clinical in the final third but deserves some credit for averaging 2.3 shots, 1.0 key passes and 0.8 dribbles per 90 minutes in the Premier League last season. He even distributed the ball relatively well in the opposition half after making 78.8% of his attempted passes in league football (stats via whoscored).
Werner is still under contract at the West London club until the summer of 2025, so Dortmund would have to make a big-money offer if they are to stand a chance of acquiring the signature of the German international next summer.
Can The Blues Afford To Let Werner Leave Next Summer?
Werner has found life difficult in England as he has often lacked confidence in front of the opponent’s goal. However, he remains a streaky striker as he can score goals at a high rate when he is playing with confidence on the field. Werner is primarily a centre-forward but can also play as a wide player on either flank if needed.
Tuchel has failed to get the best out of him. Plus, the arrival of Romelu Lukaku has restricted Werner’s playing minutes so far this season. Hence, the player could be tempted to switch clubs next summer if his situation doesn’t change for the better in the remainder of this campaign. At 25, the German sensation’s best years are ahead of him, but the lack of game time since his arrival at Stamford Bridge is not doing his confidence any good.
At the moment, the Blues have a strong squad capable of challenging for multiple trophies over the next few years. Therefore, they can afford to let Werner leave unless he can find some consistency in terms of his goal-scoring soon.
