Timo Werner’s Chelsea journey is coming to an end

It is no secret that since Timo Werner has come to west London from the Bundesliga, he has underperformed, to say the least. Thomas Tuchel has been on a search for a consistent goalscorer since he replaced Frank Lampard in January of 2021, and he has tried multiple players at that No. 9 position to see which one would end up sticking. With the World Cup on the horizon, the aforementioned German international may need to rethink where he plays his club football in order to keep his position on the national team. The club’s priority right now is trying to find defensive reinforcements to build back what was lost in the beginning of the transfer window. After that is settled, the Blues reportedly have their eyes set on rebuilding the front line.

When Chelsea was in the United States for its preseason tour, Werner was asked about his future. He said all of the right things, but possibly left some hints when he stated:

"“It is hard to say … I didn’t ask but I think of course the manager always has different ideas, different thoughts and what you need in different games, I think in many games I was not in his thoughts so I try to change that … It is clear I want to play more and I should play more to first be in good shape for the World Cup and also, to have a chance to play at the World Cup.”"

Timo Werner’s Chelsea journey looks to be nearing its conclusion soon

Werner’s effort has never come into question as he continues to be a fan favorite, despite some less than satisfactory production in front of the net. His transition to the Premier League has been anything but easy, coming to west London after a 28-goal season in Germany to combine for just 10 goals in the league over two seasons with the Blues. The German international came to Stamford Bridge for €53 million back in 2020, and he now has a current valuation of just €35 million, according to Transfermarkt.

There have been some bright spots with Werner collecting the second-most shot-creating actions in the 20/21 season (behind only Mason Mount) on top of accumulating the most assists on the team with eight in that same campaign. The following year, Werner struggled with his confidence. He tallied only four goals in the league with an xG of 7.6, which is the largest difference between those two statistics of any Chelsea player in the Premier League in ’21/22.

Taking all of this coming into consideration, the Blues are considering sending Werner back to RB Leipzig once the defensive situation is sorted out. Leipzig would be looking for a loan deal with Werner’s contract expiring at the end of 2025, and the wages being simply too high for even a top German side to afford. Tuchel will not let a player of Werner’s caliber go, despite his inconsistencies, due to the fact that he can play that No. 9 role that the Blues still do not have found someone they can consistently rely on.

He is not going to let Werner go until the club has come to an agreement with another attacker or one of its top defensive targets. The deal could include the Blues getting elite 20-year-old Croatian defender, Josko Gvardiol. Doing away with the Werner experiment for good will be beneficial for both the player and Chelsea. A whole lot of missed opportunities in front of the net highlight his time with the Blues, but that doesn’t mean his time is up.

The window may be closing, but with Tuchel in desperate need of a goalscorer, Werner has the capability to make it at Chelsea after all. But even with the effort, it just seems Werner needs to rely on something on top of his pace to succeed in the top flight in England. His playmaking during the Champions League run back in ’20/21 was through the roof, but it is hard to look past what he has done when massive chances come his way.

If Werner does depart by the end of the window, the German should be treated with nothing but respect, being some who worked as hard as he could for the badge. There was never a minute last season where anyone questioned the mentality or attitude of Werner. Whenever Tuchel called his name, the 25-year-old was ready to contribute all he could for the team on that given day.

Whether it is this window or the next, it is more than likely Werner will be out the door, and the next breed of Chelsea forwards will enter the fold. Raheem Sterling is a quality start to the additions up top, but the work does not stop there. Werner’s time in west London may have not been what the club would have wanted, but there is too much at stake for it to continue down the same path this upcoming season.

What do you make of Werner’s current situation? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!