Transfer Centre

Timo Werner to Chelsea: How much will he cost? When will he sign? Who else was interested?

By Barney Corkhill, Editor | 05 June 2020

With Timo Werner understood to be on the brink of joining Chelsea, Sports Mole looks at all of the key questions surrounding the impending move.

Chelsea are reportedly on the brink of making their second major summer signing before the transfer window has even opened.

RB Leipzig striker Timo Werner is understood to have agreed terms on a five-year contract with the Blues, who have also triggered his release clause.

The Germany international looks set to join Hakim Ziyech at Stamford Bridge next season, with Frank Lampard's side seemingly beating a host of top clubs to his signature.

Here, Sports Mole looks at everything you need to know about Werner and his impending move.

Who is Timo Werner?

RB Leipzig forward Timo Werner pictured in January 2020 © Reuters

A 24-year-old striker who currently plays for German Bundesliga side RB Leipzig and the German national team.

Why are so many clubs interested in him?

Because he is a goalscoring machine. Werner has already passed the 30-goal mark for the season, netting four times in as many games since the Bundesliga campaign resumed to take him up to 31 across all competitions.

In top-flight league football only three players have scored more than him this term and only two - Robert Lewandowski and Ciro Immobile - have done so in one of Europe's top five leagues.

Add to that 12 assists and Werner has had a direct hand in 43 goals from just 40 appearances in 2019-20, including 32 in 29 Bundesliga outings.

Werner is also a proven goalscorer at international level with 11 in 29 caps for Germany.

How much will he cost?

RB Leipzig striker Timo Werner in action on May 16, 2020 © Reuters

In a normal market, a player with such impressive stats and at a good age would likely be pushing the £100m mark, but Werner's release clause ensures that he is available for around half of that.

Chelsea are understood to have triggered that €60m (£53.8m) release clause, making him a relatively cheap option even in the post-coronavirus market.

The wages will not come cheap - reportedly £200,000 per week over five years - which would make him Chelsea's highest earner.

Indeed, those wages tally up to £52m over the full five-year spell, making the cost of keeping him at the club almost as much as bringing him to the club.

Who else was interested?

RB Leipzig striker Timo Werner pictured on May 27, 2020 © Reuters

Unsurprisingly, Chelsea were not the only team interested in a 24-year-old, 31-goal, fully-fledged international striker available for a cut-price fee.

The club most strongly linked with his signature was Liverpool, but they were unwilling to meet his asking price amid the lingering uncertainty surrounding finances after coronavirus.

Manchester United were also credited with an interest, while Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Barcelona had also been touted as possible destinations.

When will the deal go through?

Confirmation of the transfer is expected within the next week, so Chelsea fans should know for sure by Thursday, June 11.

At this stage, the only way the deal will not go through appears to be if either party performs a U-turn and pulls out at the 11th hour, which is highly unlikely but certainly not unheard of.

Could he be available for Chelsea this season?

The Premier League season has been extended as a result of coronavirus and will therefore still be going on when the transfer window was initially due to open on July 1.

However, whereas Ziyech will officially become a Chelsea player on July 1 due to having agreed his deal before lockdown, Werner's transfer is likely to wait until the new window opens.

That date is as yet undecided, but it will be after the end of the current season. Werner will therefore not be able to feature for Chelsea in 2019-20, while Ziyech will also have to wait until 2020-21.