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Timo Werner Talks Of Liverpool Suitability After Leipzig Comprehensively Beat Schalke

This article is more than 4 years old.

Another big win for RB Leipzig was followed by another mention of Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool by striker, Timo Werner.

The 23-year-old netted Leipzig’s second goal on an evening where Julian Nagelsmann’s men ran riot at Schalke, winning 5-0 at the VELTINS-Arena.

It was a victory which moved the Red Bulls to within one point of Bundesliga leaders, Bayern Munich—who beat relegation threatened Paderborn 3-2 on Friday evening.

Werner spoke to journalists after the final whistle, where the attacker mentioned Liverpool for the second time in a week.

“Jürgen Klopp is the best coach in the world. Many things speak for the fact, that my playing style is suited to Liverpool,” the Leipzig attacker said.

“But I don't think about that at the moment because we have so much to do with Leipzig. I won't rule out anything. We have the Euros in the summer, I want to focus on that tournament. Everything else I will think about after the season” Werner added.

His words on Saturday follow on from those spoken on Wednesday night, after scoring an all-important penalty in Leipzig’s UEFA Champions League round of 16 first leg clash in Tottenham.

Viasport Football reporter, and ex-Bundesliga player, Jan Aage Fjortoft spoke with Werner in London, where the striker answered a direct question on a reported interest in him by the reigning Champions League holders.

"Liverpool is the best team, in this moment, in the world and when you're linked with this team, it makes me very proud, it's a pleasure.” Werner opened with.

“But I know 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." he then added.

Werner has been linked with a move away from Leipzig for some time. A summer move to Bayern Munich was pulled after the German side went all-in on Leroy Sané, a player they ultimately failed to sign from Manchester City.

The forward was left with no choice but to sign a contract extension—however, a clause was reportedly set in that allows the Stuttgart native to leave in the summer of 2020 for $65 million (€60 million).

News from Germany Saturday evening suggested the clause could actually be as low as $32.5 million (€30 million), with a set of success-related bonuses also due to Leipzig for individual and team performances at any new club.

Performances over the last few seasons has brought Werner onto the radar of many clubs, but his overt courtship of Liverpool, twice in a week, may underline a preference for a move to Merseyside once his clause becomes active in April.

The hotshot currently sits on 27 goals and 11 assists across 33 games this season. With 21 of those strikes coming in 23 Bundesliga games.

Werner’s market value is estimated to be $81.3 million (€75 million) by football news, data and statistical site, Transfermarkt—so either figure quoted for his release would attract attention from Europe’s top clubs.

While the forward is not shy about his future, there still remains no word from Liverpool on any concrete interest in the Leipzig player.

“I can't say whether we are interested or not,” Reds’ boss, Klopp said on Tuesday.

“Timo is a very good player. It's not unusual for him to be linked with us. After all, I'm a German coach who works abroad. But it's not automatically the case that we sign 12 German internationals every year," Klopp added.

Liverpool have previously done business with Leipzig, notably the acquisition of Naby Keïta in August, 2017.

The Guinea international joined the Reds in 2018, but the Merseyside club negotiated a $62 million (£48 million) release clause 12 months prior to Keïta’s arrival.