RB Leipzig are holding talks with Chelsea striker Timo Werner after the German was granted permission to find himself a new club.
According to reports, the German striker is discussing with his former side a loan deal that will see him spend the 2022/23 season at the Red Bull Arena.
Werner is considered surplus to requirement at Chelsea, having failed to live up to the expectation that greeted his acquisition from Leipzig two seasons ago. He has managed just 23 goals in 89 appearances to date at Stamford Bridge, and he has already gone public with his disappointment towards his lack of minutes.
With the World Cup coming up later this year, the 26-year-old wants to join a team that will guarantee him regular game time. He does not believe he will be handed his wishes at Chelsea, and so is now looking for a new club.
Having already signed Raheem Sterling from Manchester City for £47.5m this summer, Chelsea are prepared to let Werner leave if the right offer comes.
According to 90min, his representatives have already offered him to several sides across Europe, including former side Leipzig, Bayern Munich, Juventus, Newcastle, Atletico Madrid, AC Milan, and Borussia Dortmund.
However, of those teams, it is Werner’s former employers who are currently leading the race for his signature. The German side have held talks with the player, who is keen to make a return to the club with whom he scored 28 goals in just 34 games over his final season in 2019/20.
Chelsea are open to sending Werner out on loan as they did with want-away striker Romelu Lukaku. But the Blues are insisting that the German must take a significant pay cut to force through the move – something he is reportedly prepared to do.
Meanwhile, any loan deal would likely include an option to buy permanently, but talks remain ongoing over such a clause.
