Timo Werner scored after his return to RB Leipzig as his shot forced the FC Koln goalkeeper to make a mistake. Leipzig signed Timo Werner for £17 million on a two-year deal from Chelsea this summer two seasons after the club sold the German to the London side for £45 million.
Werner endured a difficult spell at Stamford Bridge, where he failed to succeed beyond expectations. The 26-year-old scored 28 league goals for Leipzig in the 2019/2020 season, finishing second only to Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski in the Bundesliga top scorer standings. But when he joined Chelsea in the summer of 2020, he could not replicate such a form.
Before he returned to RB Leipzig this summer, Werner had offers from Manchester United and Barcelona, but his mind was set on returning to Germany.
Chelsea’s coach, Thomas Tuchel was not happy with Timo Werner for forcing a transfer because he believes the player still had a chance to play more regularly for the club. Since the club was vested with a lot of attackers, when Timo Werner needed more playing time, Chelsea wanted him to go on a season-long loan but the German striker opted to leave the club permanently.
Timo Werner’s time at Chelsea
The striker was regarded as one of the most promising shooters in the world. He got the attention of various clubs, but he decided to join Chelsea in 2020.
He was immediately criticized by Chelsea fans for missing clear chances. A majority of them wanted the man out of the club. When Tuchel came in, the manager gave him more confidence and made the striker believe he could shine again.
Timo Werner was tipped to excel under the new manager, but he went down the pecking order as Tuchel preferred to use Kai Havertz and Mason Mount in attack ahead of him.
Timo made 89 appearances, scored 23 goals and had 21 assists to his name. He won the Champions League as well as the FIFA Club World Cup and Super Cup at Chelsea.
Is Timo Werner a Chelsea Flop?
Looking at his stats, he is not a flop as most people believe. Timo Werner plays on the wing, which allows others to move freely into the 18 yard box. It is officially World Cup season, and players are eager to represent their country, hence, he had to return to Leipzig to get more playing time.
Why Did Chelsea Sell Timo Werner?
The inability of Chelsea to find true playing philosophy and not finding a better partner to pair with Timo Werner played a major role in Werner’s struggle at the club. It was reported that he had issues with Tuchel, saying the manager is always biased in his selection.
Will Chelsea regret selling the striker?
In the last match against Everton, Chelsea struggled to get goals and they won by a penalty. The manager demanded Chelsea should quickly finalize players who wanted to leave for him to focus on other players.
To give room for new players, Chelsea had to sell underperforming players, and Timo was one of them. Sterling, Havertz, and Mount will bag goals against Tottenham on Sunday. Hence, there might be little or no reason for Chelsea to regret Werner’s return to Leipzig this summer.
