Chelsea
are now favourites to sign RB Leipzig striker Timo Werner with a final
decision expected early next week.
The Germany international has a €55m (£49.4m) release clause which expires
on Monday June 15.
One source close to the player says Werner would be happy to play for
Chelsea despite indicating his preference to move to Liverpool.
Werner also described Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp as the "best coach in
the world".
The 24-year-old wants to move to a Champions League club, where he will play
regularly.
He signed a contract extension last summer which ties him down to Leipzig
until 2023 and has scored 32 times this season, including 25 goals in 29
Bundesliga games.
Bayern Munich backed out of a €30m deal to sign Werner 12 months ago and the
player appeared to rule out a move to Munich this summer when he said last
month that he would prefer to move abroad.
Inter Milan wanted to sign him but their sporting director Piero Ausilio
said last week that Werner would not be moving to the club.
A few weeks ago, it had been assumed Leipzig could be tempted to sell Werner
for a lower fee after the clause expires, the thinking being that the
coronavirus pandemic would cause prices to drop when the transfer window
opens.
That was before Sunday, when Paris Saint-Germain agreed to take up their
£51m option to sign Mauro Icardi from Inter Milan.
Werner is three years younger than Icardi and, if the Argentine is the
benchmark, then Leipzig are unlikely to let Werner go for less than £50m.
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