So, why ARE Spurs keen on £45m dud Werner?
Striker was immature and aloof at Chelsea but Ange believes he can set him free
ON face value, Tottenham’s move to sign Chelsea flop Timo Werner appears perplexing. Disregard his forgettable spell at Stamford Bridge and take Werner on this season’s showing. Two goals in 14 appearances for RB Leipzig hardly screams optimism for Spurs fans.
When you take into account his unsatisfactory two years in London, it’s natural to question the merits of Ange Postecoglou’s move to provide the German with a second bite of the cherry.
When he arrived in the summer of 2020, Werner’s transfer to Chelsea was a coup. After being courted by the continent’s top clubs — he once looked destined to sign for Liverpool — he arrived in west London ready to explode.
By the time he left for a return to Leipzig in 2022, his reputation as one of Europe’s deadliest forwards was in tatters.
Speak to those who saw him in action at close quarters at Chelsea and they’ll describe an unassuming lad who didn’t really help himself. Werner was 24 when he signed — but those around him at the club’s Cobham HQ noticed an immaturity about him. He was quiet, almost detached. Given he was settling into a new country and environment, those early struggles were put down to the cultural divide.
Werner was generally liked by his team-mates, though it was noticeable he didn’t go out of his way to mix with his colleagues.
At training he found difficulty grasping team shape and structural information, leading to an aloofness during sessions.
When he returned to Leipzig in 2022, Werner left behind a sense of what might have been. To the naked eye his workrate and energy in matches looked impressive, but his application in training was always a source of frustration.
It wasn’t that he was a bad trainer, but there was always a feeling he could show more.
There were moments when Frank Lampard and Thomas Tuchel thought it was close to clicking. Both recognised the huge threat posed by his lightning pace — but harnessing Werner’s strengths proved problematic.
He was the main man at Leipzig but became a smaller fish in a bigger pond at Chelsea. He thrived in his comfort zone. And that’s where the regret lies. If he was willing to push himself then the rest would have come naturally.
So with that in mind, it raises the question: Why have Tottenham signed him? Well, there may be a method to Spurs boss Postecoglou’s apparent madness.
Point one: Raw pace. Werner was once clocked at 11.11sec over 100 metres.
Point two: Versatility. His ability to play anywhere across the forward line is a clear selling point.
But, perhaps above everything else, there is one factor Tottenham believe can drive Werner to success: Redemption.
This presents Werner with a shot at proving he isn’t a £45million dud after all. If the penny has dropped then Spurs might have found themselves one of the deals of the January window.
He’s 27, so you’d hope that air of immaturity has dissipated. His speed and movement pose a genuine threat. That’s why Lampard and Tuchel persisted with him.
His first spell in England will be defined by his wayward finishing but someone just needs to unlock his potential. Postecoglou might be the manager to set him free.
Werner is a confidence player and Postecoglou is warm and caring. If Werner, whose loan move was confirmed by Tottenham yesterday, doesn’t respond to the Australian’s authenticity then maybe he never will.
But this isn’t a pity project. Tottenham believe this agreement can be mutually beneficial. Son Heung-min is away at the Asia Cup, a tournament that finishes on February 10.
Expect Werner, who believes he can win his place back in the Germany squad for Euro 2024 if things go to plan at Spurs, to feature extensively in that period.
Multiple sources have indicated to Mail Sport that Werner’s chances of playing regularly will not be dependent on Son’s absence. But, of course, if the ‘Chelsea Werner’ turns up he will struggle to play ahead of Son, Dejan Kulusevski, Richarlison and Brennan Johnson.
So, it’s up to Werner. Tottenham have secured the option of making the deal permanent for around £15m. If there is a repeat of his spell at Chelsea, it is likely his return will be shortlived.