A CHELSEA flop is being linked with a sensational return to the Premier League, according to reports.
Timo Werner, 27, never really hit the heights after arriving at Chelsea in a £53million deal in 2020.
The striker joined the club fresh off the back of a season with RB Leipzig where he scored 28 goals in 34 Bundesliga games and was thought to be one of the best strikers in Europe.
He was also Germany’s undisputed no9 at the time – but failed to ever hit the heights at Chelsea.
In his two seasons with The Blues the German scored 23 goals in 89 appearances and appeared to clearly lose confidence in front of goal.
Werner re-joined Leipzig in the summer of 2022 but the form of his previous spell at the club failed to resurface.
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The forward scored nine goals in 27 appearances last season and has been relegated to a bench role this year in favour of Slovenian sensation Benjamin Sesko, 20.
But Werner has now been offered a lifeline according to 90min.
Fulham and Crystal Palace reportedly lead the chase for the striker with both parties willing to take him on loan.
West Ham are another possible destination for Werner – with the side being able to offer him minutes in their quest to win the Europa League.
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The Hammers have recently dropped forward Michail Antonio, 33, and are playing Jarrod Bowen as a makeshift centre forward.
They could therefore look to bring Werner in as a rotation option.
Leipzig’s sporting director Rouven Schroder confirmed that the club would be open to parting ways with Werner when asked about his unhappiness at becoming a bench player.
Schroder said: “Timo Werner is a part of a team that has to face competition. He’s going through a difficult phase, we support him. It’s not always all sunshine and roses.”
When asked if Werner’s exit could take place in January he said: “We will have players who have something else in mind. We will face that. Quite openly, very clearly. If someone has the idea that they want to do something different, then we will deal with it.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
