Newcastle join four-club race to sign Chelsea’s Werner

Robin Bairner

• 13 Oct 2021 11:56 BST
• 3 min read

Timo Werner may have fired Germany to the 2022 World Cup finals, but his future with Chelsea remains on the edge of a knife.

Despite struggling with the Blues, Werner remains a coveted player, with Newcastle the latest side reportedly interested in the attacker.

Having initially been given the faith of manager Thomas Tuchel when the former Paris Saint-Germain boss disembarked at Stamford Bridge in January, he has seen his playing time dramatically cut since the arrival of Romelu Lukaku from Inter in the summer.

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Werner, meanwhile, can have few complaints, having failed to replicate the fine form he displayed with RB Leipzig to earn his move to Chelsea in 2019.

Nevertheless, there are several clubs still eager to take him off the Stamford Bridge side’s hands.

Newcastle

Bild reports that Newcastle are interested in Werner.

Buoyed by their takeover by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF), Newcastle are set to receive a massive cash injection. This should aid them significantly in the transfer window and will bring players like Werner into their reach.

A January transfer may be their best bet, too, as there will be less competition for signing him during the winter window.

But would he fancy going from the European champions to a relegation scrap?

Bayern Munich

The odds are that Werner will end up back in Germany, where his reputation remains strong. And Bayern Munich continue to be linked with him.

Werner’s capacity to play in a multitude of offensive positions certainly helps his prospects of going to Bayern, where they have struggled to find consistency in the wide areas, despite the return to prominence of Leroy Sane.

Having given up on Erling Haaland, Werner seems a more realistic alternative.

Borussia Dortmund

And speaking of Haaland, Werner has been associated with the role as his replacement at Dortmund should he depart.

This might depend on what Chelsea are asking for the attacker, although the clubs have worked closely in the past when Michy Batshuayi spent a highly successful loan spell in the Bundesliga.

If Werner is prepared to join the club’s loan army to rediscover his form in his homeland, this is a possibility. Otherwise, his asking price is unlikely to attract BVB.

Atletico Madrid

Although Atletico Madrid have been linked with a move for Werner, they are already well-stocked offensively.

Thomas Lemar’s return to form has brought an additional dimension to their attacking play, while in the wide areas they have Yannick Carrasco, Maroc Llorente, Angel Correa and even Antoine Griezmann capable of playing.

Certainly, a player of Werner’s quality would inevitably be welcome, but given his high asking price and Atletico Madrid’s delicate financial position, he surely could not be considered a priority to the Spanish champions.