Liverpool legend explains why Timo Werner to Anfield might be a bad idea

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Liverpool have been heavily linked with a move for Timo Werner, but Anfield legend Didi Hamann believes the RB Leipzig goal machine would be better suited to two of the Reds’ Premier League rivals instead (Sky Sport Germany).

Werner has been in superb form this season, netting 26 goals and registering 10 assists in just 32 appearances in all competitions (Transfermarkt).

Since joining Leipzig from Stuttgart in the summer of 2016, Werner has claimed an impressive 87 goals and 37 assists in 146 competitive appearances, as well as winning 29 Germany caps with 11 goals scored in the process (Transfermarkt).

On Wednesday night, the 23-year-old was a constant thorn in Tottenham Hotspur’s side and claimed the winning goal against Jose Mourinho’s charges, a penalty in a 1-0 win on their own patch.

Later on, Werner – who has a £25million release clause, according to Sport1 – spoke of his admiration for Liverpool and his pride in being linked with Jurgen Klopp’s side, telling Norway’s Viasport Football: “I know that Liverpool is the best team at the moment in the world.

“When you’re linked with that team it makes me very proud. It’s a pleasure but I know that Liverpool have a lot of good players and I have to improve myself, to learn much more things to get on this level to play there.”

However, Hamann is not convinced Anfield would be the ideal destination for Werner, writing in Sky Sport Germany: “I trust him to play in a very big team soon. It is of course an honour for him to be linked to Liverpool.

“The question is: does he match Liverpool? For me he is strongest when he comes through the middle and can use his greatest weapon: his speed. With [Roberto] Firmino, Liverpool have a striker who is always playable and connects a lot with his team-mates.

“If Werner went to Liverpool, I would rather see him outside, but there are two absolute grenades in the team with Mane and Salah. If none of the three strikers get injured or move, he won’t play and I don’t think that’s what he wants. Liverpool is the absolute benchmark, but in my view he would be better suited to Manchester United or Chelsea.”

TBR View:

Hamann’s column is balanced and unbiased, admitting that, while Werner is a high-calibre player and Liverpool are a high-calibre team, the Germany ace might find it difficult to displace the current attacking trident as things stand.

However, the trio of Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino isn’t going to play every single game in a season – injuries and suspensions can and do take their toll, not to mention potential loss of form.

Then you have to throw in things like tactical tweaks, players wanting to move clubs for whatever reason, and of course players getting older – in a nutshell, things change, and as such, teams have to constantly be looking ahead and planning accordingly.

While Werner may not be getting much game time as things stand, he would certainly be a quality asset for Liverpool, and you can’t deny that Jurgen Klopp is by far the most successful manager out of him, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Frank Lampard – and who wouldn’t want to play for the best manager?