West Ham United want to sign RB Leipzig star Timo Werner on loan in January
West Ham United want to sign RB Leipzig striker Timo Werner on loan in January, with the club open to his exit according to TEAMtalk.
Writing on their website (24 November), the news outlet report that the Germany international is expected to leave Leipzig in January after falling down the pecking order of attacking options.
West Ham are keen to sign a striker to bolster the squad and they will explore a loan for Werner, but his near £200k per-week wages could pose as a stumbling block in any deal depending on what percentage of it they would need to pay.
“West Ham are expected to act cautiously in the January transfer window and will thoroughly explore the possibility of signing ex-Chelsea flop Timo Werner on loan, TEAMtalk can reveal,” they wrote.
“Werner is behind Lois Openda, Benjamin Sesko and Yussuf Poulsen in the pecking order at Leipzig and indications from Germany suggest his club are open to letting him leave in the winter window.
“West Ham will seek to understand the details around that potential exit before they make an offer to help get his career back on track as the need for a new forward intensifies.
“Much of the understanding around Werner leaving Leipzig on loan would be in line with understanding the loan fee and percentage of wages they would be expected to pay. Werner currently earns close to £200,000-a-week.”
Talent
When Werner left Leipzig the first time around he was seen by many as one of the hottest strikers on the continent, but his move to Chelsea went completely belly up.
He struggled to adapt to their style and eventually returned to the Bundesliga, but he’s never looked like the same player since and he has failed to make an impact there too.
A fresh start somewhere else could help him recapture the form that made him a feared forward in Europe at one point, and West Ham know that with his talent and style of running in behind and linking with wingers they could potentially get him back to his best.
A loan deal would be a low-risk deal, and he would be able to compete with Michail Antonio for the starting spot, while it would also allow the club to move on Danny Ings should they get a good offer.
It’s a deal that would make sense, but only on the right terms. The Hammers are doing the right thing in taking a deeper look and it could be a shrewd bit of business.
In other West Ham news, ‘Phenomenal’ West Ham star “destined for Liverpool according to Micah Richards.