Timo Werner transfer: Chelsea now lead the race for RB Leipzig star with Liverpool unwilling to meet asking price

Werner has made his desire to join Jurgen Klopp's side well known, but Liverpool have been dithering over the £50m asking price and some reports suggest they've even pulled out of the race altogether.

That's been music to the ears of Frank Lampard as it means that Chelsea are now in pole position to pinch what would be a huge signing from under Liverpool's noses.

Werner to Liverpool was thought to be close to a done deal for some time, but the coronavirus crisis has seemingly sunk the move, with transfer fees and budgets being cut across the board.

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The Reds are now not willing to meet the £50m release clause in Werner's contract, with what once seemed a bargain for the 24-year-old now seemingly too much for them to pay for a player who wouldn't be guaranteed first team football at Anfield.

Werner has broken the 30-goal barrier for Leipzig this season, and his stats and style of play make him one of the most sought-after targets in Europe, and he's now up for grabs if a team can meet his club's valuation.

Chelsea are now that team, according to the bookmakers, as the Blues are massive odds-on favourites as short as 1/4 to grab the Germany international this summer, pushing Liverpool out to 4/1 having previously been odds-on themselves.

Leipzig had hoped the downturn in transfer budgets would give them a chance to keep hold of Werner for one more season - his buyout clause drops to around £35m next season and if he's anything like as good then that will be too much of a bargain for major teams to pass up.

One thing seems certain though, Leipzig CEO Oliver Mintzlaff will not be haggling on the price any time soon, but with Roman Abramovich at Chelsea, they're more than capable of meeting that famed release clause, which expires on June 15.

What happens next with Werner?

Frank Lampard has Tammy Abraham and Olivier Giroud at Stamford Bridge but Werner would be an ideal addition to that strike force and more than likely to lead the line.

His finishing skills would be an upgrade to what they already have, while he can also operate in a number of forward positions and Chelsea have plenty of options in those positions for Lampard to play a fluid attacking formation.

Having a possible front three of Hakim Ziyech, Christian Pulisic and Timo Werner will have the fans at Stamford bridge licking their lips.

After so much flirting with Jurgen Klopp it's a surprise that Liverpool won't even try and make some effort to agree a deal with Leipzig. In this new age swap deals could become much more acceptable and the Reds could've used some players to balance out the deal.

The final say, though, comes down to the player who, although he'd have loved to have gone to Anfield, is happy enough to play for Lampard's young, exciting Chelsea team.

Leipzig will no doubt do all they can to get another season with their star man, as losing him and trying to find a replacement in these uncertain times would be a big ask, but boss Julian Nagelsmann already seems resigned to losing Werner - it was just a case of his destination.

West London looks like being that now ahead of Merseyside, with a £200,000-a-week contract offer on its way to Werner - a sum that Liverpool would struggle to match.

With Chelsea stumpping up the cash, it could turn into a huge bargain and a deal that Liverpool will regret turning their backs on.

Odds correct as of 1815 BST on 4/6/20

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