CHELSEA are sweating on the fitness of Timo Werner after he pulled out of Germany’s game against Turkey through illness.
Sky Sports reports Werner, 24, is yet to join up with the national team in Cologne and will miss Wednesday’s friendly game.
Timo Werner has a ‘slight cold’Credit: Getty Images – Getty
German assistant coach Marcus Sorg said on Monday: “Timo Werner has a slight cold and won’t join up with the team today.”
Sorg confirmed they are expecting him to arrive in the next few days ahead of the Nations League games against Ukraine and Switzerland on October 10 and 13.
Blues team-mates Antonio Rudiger and Kai Havertz are set to start for Germany against Turkey.
Rudiger had arrived a day later than the rest of the squad after having a meeting with boss Joachim Low on Monday.
The centre-back was linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge on deadline day after falling down Frank Lampard’s pecking order.
Tottenham, Paris Saint-Germain and AC Milan were all rumoured to be interested in a move for the 27-year-old but he remains a Chelsea player after the window slammed shut on Monday night.
Rudiger’s switch across London to Spurs reportedly fell through as he feared a backlash from the Chelsea faithful for joining one of the club’s rivals.
On Tuesday, Low said: “He is a player who can always raise our game, so I think he will definitely be starting tomorrow.”
Werner played the full 90 minutes in Chelsea’s 4-0 rout of Crystal Palace on Saturday.
He has bagged a goal and an assist in five appearance in all competitions since arriving in West London over the summer.
He suffered cramp at the end of Chelsea’s Carabao Cup tie against Spurs – which prevented him from taking a penalty in the shoot-out defeat.
Chelsea splashed £53million to sign Werner from RB Leipzig and pay him £170,000 a week.
Werner has netted 12 times in 30 caps for Germany since making his debut in 2017.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
