The German international has been in stunning form this season. The RB Leipzig forward has scored 27 goals and assisted a further 12 in just 36 games so far this campaign. His form has not gone unnoticed and he has begun to attract some of Europe’s biggest names, with Liverpool leading the chase for his services. Werner has recently suggested that he would be extremely interested in a move to Anfield alongside his ambition to work with Jürgen Klopp, admiring his team’s style and project.So, what do we know about Timo Werner?He started his professional career at VfB Stuttgart in 2013 after making his way through their youth ranks as an academy graduate. After flourishing at all youth levels with the club, as well as internationally, firing 34 goals in 48 appearances for his nation, he quickly jumped into his club’s senior setup at just 17 years old. During this next period Werner would become the youngest Stuttgart player to appear for them before becoming their youngest ever goalscorer. This was then followed by the forward becoming the then youngest player to reach 50 Bundesliga appearances.After seeing his side relegated at the end of the 2015/16 season, Werner made the move across the country to RB Leipzig after Stuttgart acquired a club record fee at the time of 10 million euros. He then quickly become the youngest player to reach 100 appearances in the Bundesliga. He would later become the first to 150. After impressing on his debut season with the club netting 21 goals in just 32 games, the German international has gone on to score an eye-catching total of 80 in 150 appearances for the club, to date. It is little wonder why some of the most successful and recognised clubs across Europe have taken note, with Liverpool at the top of the list.
So, would he be a good fit for the Reds?Of course, like any player it is impossible to predict exactly how things will go but looking into the German’s attributes and character it would certainly suggest a positive outcome. Werner can comfortably be analysed as a Klopp type of player and it is clear why he would be interested in his services. The striker’s electric acceleration and pace, positional sense, quality in tight spaces and ruthless finishing, rank high on the evidence list. Werner is exciting and unpredictable, making him challenging to play against for most opposition. He often picks up deeper and wider positions, commonly seeing him operate as a number 10 or ‘false number nine’ during attacks. He will often look to link play as he moves between the midfield and forward line, taking up those slightly deeper or wider positions before bursting forward to assist or finish off an attack. His ability in deeper central areas alongside his quality in tight spaces and pace is also a big positive for the counter press style Liverpool deploy. This would assist the team in being able to remain narrow and compact when they lose the ball. This gives them the best chance of stopping and breaking down an opposition move, whilst quickly winning the ball back in dangerous and key areas.
Versatility is most likely another focal point of Jürgen Klopp’s thinking around the player. Werner could play centrally or wide in the front three with fan favourite Roberto Firmino playing just behind, or indeed he could fulfil that role himself. The statistics back up the forwards qualities. He is a brilliant passer, with his successful final third passes, in his respective league, sitting at 74.2%, only bettered by Firmino in the Liverpool team, with 74.6%. His completed dribbles come in at just under 54%, better than anyone in the reds’ front line. He also hits the target with just under half of his shots, at 49.2%. The latter is an impressive feat and added evidence as to why he hits the back of the net so often. Only Sadio Mane slightly outdoes this, with every other forward almost 10% behind in their accuracy.
Timo Werner would certainly boost the squad and act as extremely strong competition. His arrival may mean the expense of a midfielder or forward in an increased number of games in order to accommodate him, or indeed down to poor form or part of squad rotation. Liverpool’s one, perhaps only, area of scrutiny has been their lack of depth in the forward line, should any of the front three become unavailable. Divock Origi does a very respectable job but it would be fair to suggest Klopp would like an upgrade in the area, or at least some added competition.If this move goes through in the summer, like many are now predicting, it would be an extremely exciting piece of business for the club and its supporters. The evidence seems clear that he would likely make an impact and improve an already impressive Liverpool team. At just 24 years of age he also has many years to develop, improve and produce at the club.
