Liverpool were the frontrunners to signing Timo Werner from Leipzig since the start of the season but now Premier League rivals Chelsea look all set to announce the acquisition of the German international this week.
The 24-year-old has been in tremendous form scoring 25 goals in just 31 Bundesliga matches and Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski is the only player who’s scored more Bundesliga goals this campaign than him. The centre-forward was really eager to work under Jurgen Klopp which was an indication that if he does decide to move to England, Werner will only play for Liverpool.
But the Anfield outfit chose not to challenge Chelsea in the race to sign Timo Werner and according to Sky Sports pundit, Jamie Carragher his former side might have missed out on really important signing.
“Without the pandemic, I’m sure Liverpool would have signed Werner,” Carragher told Goal.com.
“Everyone knows that Liverpool’s front three are as good as anything in the world right now, but Werner would have played a lot of games next season.
“There were suggestions that he was unsure over a move to Liverpool because he might not play every week, but look at what is coming up next season and it highlights why it would have been very difficult for Klopp to convince him to come and assure him that he would play a lot of matches.
“There was due to be an Olympics this summer and Mo Salah was due to play in that, which would have meant he missed the start of next season.
“After that, Salah and Mane are due to play in the African Cup of Nations next February, which means Liverpool will need back-up players to play for long periods. That is before you throw in squad rotation and injuries.
“So there would have been opportunities for Timo Werner to play in the first team in a regular basis. He could have started 10 or 12 games guaranteed and you are talking about 25 or 30 games overall with everything I have mentioned.
“With the Olympics not happening this summer, doubts over whether the African Cup of Nations will go ahead and the financial hit Liverpool have taken due to the pandemic, the decision was made not to sign Werner, but I would like to have seen them push through with the deal. It clearly looked like the player wanted to come to Liverpool.”
Liverpool legend Phil Thompson has also come out to criticize his former club saying that Jurgen Klopp has missed out on a major opportunity of upgrading his squad for the 2020/21 season.
He told Sky Sports, via talkSPORT: “I think you should always try to improve. When you’re on the up, when you’re playing well, that’s when you should back it up. I would have loved to see him come, but Liverpool have not done that [as] they are thinking it will cost too much.
“Timo Werner will be going, ‘maybe I might get in there’. But maybe Klopp is thinking, ‘we can’t afford to have somebody for that price just sitting on the bench’.
“He will be alright for three of four years. I would have taken that risk. If he wanted to come, I think you have to improve your team when you’re on top and he would have improved us.”
Well, Liverpool’s loss is Chelsea’s gain as Frank Lampard has finally managed to bring in a top-class centre-forward. The Blues boss will now be able to get rid of players like Olivier Giroud and Michy Batshuayi during the upcoming summer transfer window.
