Date published: Sunday 31st May 2020 5:03
Julian Nagelsmann has warned Leipzig that they would be “clearly weakened” by the sale of Liverpool target Timo Werner.
Werner has emerged as a primary transfer target for a number of Premier League clubs, including Chelsea and Manchester United.
Liverpool, however, are thought to be his first choice, with the Reds reciprocating that admiration.
It was thought at one stage that Liverpool would not sanction any major transfers this summer as a result of the financial impact of the global pandemic.
But it has since been claimed that Jurgen Klopp has pleaded with the board to make an exception in the case of ‘perfect’ Werner.
The German international has a £52.7m release clause that expires on June 15, meaning Liverpool are already running out of time to secure a cheaper deal.
They would have to negotiate a fee – likely to be a fair amount higher – thereafter.
If Werner stays at Leipzig he would then be available for a reduced release clause of £36m at start of the summer of 2021.
Manager Julian Nagelsmann “would like to keep him” either way.
“Of course you have conversations from time to time, but I have not spoken to him about that in the recent past,” Nagelsmann told a news conference, as quoted by the Daily Mail.
“I think he now has 34 goals and assists. I think you have to mention that I would like to keep him. That is an extraordinary quality.
“If he leaves for the next season there would be a big gap. It’s like if Robert Lewandowski leaves Bayern Munich. Nobody shouts ‘Hurray!’ there either, I think. They’re clearly weakened then, and it’s the same with us.
“That we’d like to keep him is completely normal. He has an exit clause until a certain date – I honestly don’t know when – and if a club comes along and he agrees with them by then, then that’s the way it is.”
