Timo Werner (29, Tottenham) is expected to end his Premier League journey.
Fabrizio Romano, who is well-versed in the European football transfer market, noted on the 8th (Korean time) that "Tottenham Hotspur does not plan to pursue a permanent transfer for Timo Werner, and he is set to return to RB Leipzig at the end of this season."
Werner joined Tottenham on loan after leaving the Bundesliga's RB Leipzig in January 2024. The contract included a permanent transfer clause of about 12 million euros (approximately 19.3 billion won), but Tottenham seems to have ultimately decided not to activate that clause.
This season, Werner had several opportunities to play but left disappointment with performances below expectations. Over the entire season, he participated in 27 matches but only recorded 1 goal and 3 assists, and he failed to find the back of the net in the Premier League.
In particular, during the match against Manchester City, he was substituted in and played only for 8 minutes, and his playing time gradually decreased, culminating in his exclusion from the Europa League roster, causing his position within the team to rapidly diminish.
Manager Ange Postecoglou has expressed discontent with Werner's performance. Last December, he said, "Werner is a player from the German national team. I conveyed that he must show performances that suit him," and pointed out that "there are those who do not contribute to our team, including experienced players."
Werner is a versatile player who can handle various attacking positions, but he struggled to adapt to Postecoglou's characteristic fast tempo and high pressing system, gradually distancing himself from the team’s core. Even during a time when key strikers were injured, he was not chosen.
Despite his underwhelming performance, Werner earns one of the highest salaries in the team. His salary is currently reported to be about 10.2 million euros (approximately 16.3 billion won), which is the third highest after Son Heung-min and James Maddison. This high salary is interpreted as one of the reasons behind the club's push to end the partnership with Werner.
Tottenham effectively replaced Werner's position by bringing in promising player Mathys Tel on loan from Bayern Munich during the winter transfer market, and as the season progressed, Werner was completely excluded from the team plans.
Werner, who rose to prominence at Leipzig with explosive speed and finishing ability, transferred to Chelsea and experienced winning the UEFA Champions League. However, he struggled with performance in the English league, falling behind in the competition for starting positions, and eventually returned to his former team, Leipzig. However, even after the return, he lost his standing again as he was overshadowed by young strikers like Lois Openda and ultimately chose to go on loan to Tottenham.
As his contract ends, Werner will return to his original team, Leipzig, but according to local reports, Leipzig also does not plan to utilize him as a starter. German 'Sky Sports' reported that "Werner is not included in manager Marco Rosé's plans. Even if the manager changes, the likelihood of the situation improving is low."
British 'Mirror' reported that "Tottenham has given up on the permanent transfer clause of about 8.5 million pounds (approximately 16 billion won), and afterwards, Werner will look for a new destination, with a potential move to Major League Soccer (MLS) also speculated."
The speed and work rate from his prime days remain impressive, but the chronic weakness of lacking decisiveness has prevented him from rising to the level of a world-class forward. His time at Tottenham, which was expected to soar alongside Son Heung-min, ended with him on the bench.
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