Rumor Mongering: Timo Werner on the Move?

Reports in Germany think that this move could be happening.

Now this would be something to get excited about. German newspaper Bild report, as translated by This Is Anfield, that RB Leipzig striker Timo Werner is looking to leave the energy drink franchise in the summer and Liverpool are looking to make a move. It is claimed that Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp is very keen on the young striker, with the deal potentially costing €100m. Further claims are made that Klopp is in contact with Werner’s agent Karlheinz Förster, implying that talks are quite advanced to bring the German forward to Anfield in the summer.

There are some reasons to be unconvinced, however.

The most obvious argument against the validity of this is that Timo Werner, while offering a pace and high intensity that one associates with a Jürgen Klopp side, is a natural line leading striker. Liverpool’s forward line is currently built around Roberto Firmino in the false nine role, nominally the focal point but always looking to drop deep and link up with Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mané. To accommodate Werner would require either dropping Firmino, moving him out wide and dropping Mané, or a complete system change. With the excellent combination play between Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino in recent months, it is unclear as to why Klopp would look to dramatically change things.

It is also important to remember that Bild is a German tabloid that does do some legitimate reporting, but also tends to play things somewhat loose with the facts. It’s the international break, and football websites across the globe are desperately looking for something to write about, with so little of interest actually happening on the pitch. Anyway, this is how you get some poorly researched transfer rumour stories (featuring Klopp, who says he has no interest in negotiating with agents, negotiating with an agent).

After the furore it took to get them to sell Naby Keïta, Liverpool are probably not signing another RB Leipzig player this summer. If we were to sign one, it probably wouldn’t be an out and out striker who would require a system change. Nonetheless, you never know.

Please let the international break end so we can get back to actual football.

Source: liverpooloffside.sbnation.com