What has been getting closer and closer for days has now been completed: RB Leipzig brings Timo Werner back to the Bundesliga. The international leaves Chelsea after two years and returns to the club from which he left for England.
The return of national soccer player Timo Werner to Bundesliga club RB Leipzig is perfect. In the early evening, the DFB Cup winner announced Werner's transfer from Chelsea, he will receive a long-term contract with the Saxons for four years until 2026. According to media reports, Leipzig will have to pay around 20 million euros plus bonuses for the return campaign. The 26-year-old switched to the English Premier League in 2020 for around 55 million euros, but was not happy there. Under the current coach Thomas Tuchel, the native of Stuttgart was often only used as a reserve player.
"I've had two great years at Chelsea for which I'm very grateful and crowned with the Champions League title. The experience of playing in another country and another league has helped me a lot in my journey." , Werner said in a statement from RB Leipzig.
Yesterday, Monday evening, Werner landed at Leipzig/Halle Airport in a private plane belonging to the RB consortium. He was picked up directly on the tarmac and taken to a hotel in downtown Leipzig, where the first fans had already been waiting for him for photos and autographs. The obligatory medical check took place on Tuesday, before Werner can also start team training.
After VfB Stuttgart's Bundesliga relegation and Leipzig's rise in the summer of 2016, Werner switched to the Saxons and became the top scorer there. The fast striker scored a total of 95 goals in 159 appearances in the RB jersey. In his first season he contributed 21 goals in 31 matches, before his departure it was even 28 Bundesliga goals in 34 games. In addition, the Swabian rose to become a national player. Under national coach Joachim Löw, he was the first Leipzig RB professional to wear a DFB jersey. "But that's also a bit of the past and now I'm looking ahead, because RB Leipzig has developed over the past two years, just like I have," said Werner, according to the announcement.
Due to the short playing time at Chelsea, Werner saw his nomination for the World Cup in Qatar in December in serious danger and forced a change to be able to play more again. Leipzig seemed a logical choice. Werner scored 23 goals in a total of 89 appearances for the Londoners.
RB boss Oliver Mintzlaff called Werner's change request. The club's CEO, who is also the negotiator for special transfers due to the lack of a renowned sports director, first explored possible return plans with Werner regarding conditions such as a salary waiver, and then discussed the financial issues with Chelsea. It is quite surprising that Werner is not only loaned out, but that Leipzig has secured the services of the offensive player and bought him back. The parties agreed not to disclose the exact figures.
What his role in RB coach Domenico Tedesco's system will look like remains to be seen in the coming weeks. RB already has strong players in the penalty area in the Portuguese André Silva and the currently injured Dane Yussuf Poulsen, as well as another fast professional in Germany's Footballer of the Year Christopher Nkunku. In the Norwegian Alexander Sörloth there is another alternative in the RB squad on the offensive.
