Leipzig chief’s Timo Werner transfer admission doesn’t signal Man Utd or Liverpool bids (Image: GETTY)
RB Leipzig managing director Oliver Mintzlaff declared on Saturday that Timo Werner’s release clause has yet to be triggered – but that doesn’t mean Liverpool or Manchester United will suddenly swoop in and steal the striker away from Chelsea.
Werner, as is by now well known, has agreed a contract with Chelsea for a proposed £53million move to Stamford Bridge.
But despite agreeing terms with the player, on a reported £170,000-a-week contract which will include annual wage rises, Chelsea have not yet entered into talks with Leipzig about a deal.
And comments from Mintzlaff sparked fresh speculation that the Blues’ Premier League rivals could try to hijack their move at the last minute.
“No, we haven’t had an exchange with Chelsea yet. So we have nothing to report,” Mintzlaff told Sky Sports Germany.
“Timo Werner is a player of RB Leipzig. He has signalled a few weeks ago that he is working on a transfer. But so far, there’s no closed deal yet.
Leipzig chief’s Timo Werner transfer admission doesn’t signal Man Utd or Liverpool bids (Image: GETTY)
“If Timo Werner would change, then we are sure that we can find a solution with the new club, that he can play the Bundesliga season with us to the end, whenever that is.
“With the Champions League, we can’t discuss it until we know when the Champions League will take place. That won’t be decided until mid-June.”
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That, though, does not change the picture – Werner remains Chelsea bound. And they are helped by the fact that the Germany international has a release clause in his contract, which will make negotiations fairly simple.
It expires on June 15, but the Blues are understood to have agreed a contract because they are willing to activate his exit clause – which Liverpool were not.
After all, Frank Lampard’s side have tracked Werner for months. And the forward’s thumbs up to a move means it should be fairly straight forward to iron out a deal.
Leipzig have regularly made it publicly clear that they will not stand in their top goalscorer’s way of a step up, although Die Roten Bullen’s current squad have proven themselves one of the best in Europe at present.
A move to England, though, is still seen as the pinnacle by many players and Werner has previously spoken of his desire to ply his trade in the Premier League.
And what a signing the 24-year-old could prove to be for Chelsea, having supplied 31 goals and 13 assists in 41 appearances this season.
He produced another assist, albeit without finding the back of the net, in Saturday’s draw with Paderborn at the Red Bull Arena.
Leipzig chief Mintzlaff also confirmed pre-match that Werner is in the “driving seat” for a move to Chelsea.
“We’re concentrating on the final games in the league. We want to qualify for the Champions League. That’s the only thing we are discussing with Timo right now,” he continued.
“It was important for us to extend the contract with him. We did that last summer, because it’s important for our young club that no player leaves for free.
“Of course there is this exit clause, which we put in the contract to give him the opportunity to take the next step. Now Timo Werner is in the driver’s seat, not us.
“Until now, neither Werner has pulled the clause, nor has any club sent us a transfer contract.”
Leipzig chief’s Timo Werner transfer admission doesn’t signal Man Utd or Liverpool bids (Image: GETTY)
And Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, also speaking to Sky Germany, gave a hint as to why the Reds have not acted on their obvious interest in Werner – instead giving Chelsea a free path to sign the prolific frontman.
“There are all sorts of rumours in England about who Manchester United are going to pick, Chelsea are going to pick,” he said.
“It’s rather quiet here (at Liverpool) at the moment, I think it’s safe to say. If you want to take it seriously and run a normal business and depend on income and have no idea how much you will earn… especially because we don’t know when we can start playing with spectators again.
“At the moment, all clubs are losing money. Without spectators, we have to pay back the season tickets and probably sell none next year. At least maybe without the first 10 or 15 games.
“The VIP areas won’t be packed and the tickets won’t be sold. This will have an impact on other partners and things will look a bit different.
“Discussing with the players about things like salary waivers and on the other hand buying a player for £50-60m, we have to explain.”
Manchester United have not acted on their interest in Werner because they are focused on other targets, particularly Borussia Dortmund’s Jadon Sancho, who is their top target.
It appears their competition for the England international just eased a little too, with Sancho’s price tag – which could exceed £100m – surely now putting him out of Chelsea’s reach.
With Liverpool having been opposed to paying £53m for Werner, they will not pay over double for Sancho.
United also have a number of direct alternatives to Werner on their shortlist, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer liking the look of Borussia Dortmund’s Erling Braut Haaland and Lyon’s Moussa Dembele.
And Odion Ighalo’s loan move being extended until January means United have a healthy number of attackers, particularly with teenager Mason Greenwood set for a huge future at Old Trafford.
It would be a huge shock at this stage if Werner wasn’t in a blue shirt at the Bridge next season.