One of the hottest names on the transfer market in 2020 simply has to shine at Spurs if he is to earn a Germany recall for Euro 2024

Doing a deal in January is difficult. Negotiations are never easy, as clubs are often reluctant to let go of players midway through the season. Timo Werner’s loan move from RB Leipzig to Tottenham is an exception to the rule, though. Everyone involved quickly came to an agreement.

Why? Because both clubs saw an opportunity to resolve a problem – and wanted to resolve it as swiftly and painlessly as possible. “It’s a win-win,” as Leipzig’s sporting director Mario Gomez put it.

Tottenham desperately needed to strengthen an attack significantly weakened by the unavailability of Son Heung-min for at least the next two weeks, while Leipzig wanted to remove a superfluous striker on a significant salary from their wage bill. As for Werner, he was on board from the get-go because he simply has to start scoring again if he is to have any hope of representing Germany on home soil at Euro 2024.

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In that sense, there’s an awful lot to like about this deal. But Werner flopped during his previous spell in the Premier League – will his second stint really be any different?

GettyThe Liverpool links

Back in the summer of 2020, Werner was arguably the hottest striker on the transfer market. He was coming off a campaign in which he had scored 34 times in just 45 outings in all competitions for Leipzig, and his buy-out clause was a mere £47.5 million ($60m).

Liverpool were leading the chase for his signature as Jurgen Klopp was looking for a prolific – and versatile – number nine, and the word was that Anfield was Werner’s preferred destination. However, Fenway Sports Group (FSG) reportedly refused to sanction a bid, with Klopp suggesting that the financial crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic had played a significant role in the Reds’ reluctance to commit such a significant sum of money to signing a striker for a team that already boasted an impressive front three of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino.

Consequently, Werner instead “decided” to join Chelsea and still insists that “it was not the worst decision.” It wasn’t a great one either, though

Getty Images‘Ups and downs’ at Stamford Bridge

As the German has repeatedly pointed out, he won the Champions League at the end of his first season at Stamford Bridge, but by that stage he was already bitterly disappointed with his lack of game time, first under Frank Lampard, and then Thomas Tuchel.

Chelsea weren’t happy with him either, which is why they paid Inter £97.5m ($136m) to re-sign Romelu Lukaku in the summer of 2021, and Werner insists that deal was responsible for his eventual exit the following year.

“That was the toughest moment for me,” he subsequently said of his time in west London. “Romelu was a big striker and had to play after costing so much, and I didn’t feel honoured enough. Maybe that was also a reason why I had ups and downs.”

That’s quite the stretch, though. Lukaku had absolutely nothing to do with Werner’s wastefulness in front of goal. He scored just six Premier League goals the season before the Belgian’s arrival, and managed just 10 overall before being sold back to Leipzig in 2022.

Getty ImagesSurplus to requirements at Leipzig

Upon returning to the Red Bull Arena, Werner declared “TW11 is back” – but it quickly became clear that he was nothing like the player who had left two years previously.

Even accounting for the fact that Werner was always considered a streaky striker that enjoyed the mother of all purple patches before joining Chelsea, his numbers at Leipzig were desperately disappointing. He scored just nine times in 27 Bundesliga appearances last season, and fared even worse during the first half of the current campaign, notching just twice in 14 appearances in all competitions, while losing his place in the Germany squad in the process.

The summer departure of Christopher Nkunku had offered Werner the chance to become the main man at Leipzig once again, but that role was instead seized by summer signing Lois Openda. Furthermore, even though Dani Olmo was sidelined by injury, another new arrival, Xavi Simons, quickly established himself as Marco Rose’s first-choice on the left wing, while Christoph Baumgartner proved a better option on the right. Even when Leipzig sometimes played two up top, Yussuf Poulsen usually got the nod ahead of Werner.

Consequently, Leipzig were only too happy to let the 27-year-old leave during the winter window. “It’s right that Timo wants to go on loan,” Rose told Sky Sport Germany. “Timo would like to go to the European Championship. We wish him all the best and are keeping our fingers crossed for him.”

Essentially, Werner is a well-liked player at Leipzig – but one that they can very much do without.

Perfect player for Postecoglou

Tottenham, though, have welcomed Werner with open arms, and it’s easy to understand why. A season-ending injury to Ivan Perisic and Son’s involvement in the Asian Cup have left them painfully short up front. Another attacker was required – and time was of the essence, with the top-four hopefuls facing Manchester United on Sunday.

United were, of course, one of the other sides interested in signing Werner, but reportedly decided against making a move because they were unsure of what kind of player they really wanted to sign this month – which rather sums the total lack of clarity and coherence at Old Trafford right now.

Spurs, by contrast, had a very clear objective: sign the kind of multi-functional forward that Postecoglou loves to fill the void left by Son. And they believe, with some justification, that Werner fits the bill perfectly.

He can play anywhere across the front three, remains frighteningly fast, is very unselfish and can (on occasion at least) score goals. When one also considers that Werner is familiar with the Premier League, loves London, speaks fluent English and is highly motivated, he has every chance of hitting the ground running, starting against United.

GettyTrouble with Tuchel?

Still, while Werner has only arrived on loan and with no obligation to buy, meaning this is the most calculated of gambles, the obvious concern is that Spurs have simply signed another Richarlison: a versatile forward that struggles to score goals. Because there’s no getting away from the fact that Werner is not an elite-level marksman.

Tammy Abraham was often considered a better option to lead the line at Chelsea, while his shot conversion rate in the Premier League was an absolutely atrocious 8.06 percent. He also squandered 64% of the ‘big chances’ that came his way.

Arsenal legend Thierry Henry, who knows a thing or two about scoring freely in England, argued that, rightly or wrongly, Werner didn’t feel completely loved at Chelsea, and thus suffered from a lack of confidence that affected his finishing.

There may well be some truth in that, given Werner has spoken himself about feeling a little “forgotten” by Tuchel, which meant he longer found football “fun”.

Getty ImagesTime running out for ‘Turbo Tim’

He should, at the very least, enjoy himself playing for Postecoglou, a wonderfully warm and amusing character that is unapologetically committed to his offensive game-plan. With his terrifying turn of pace, Werner could certainly prove a serious threat in transitions for Tottenham, in much the same way as Son.

However, he will have to time his runs far better than he did at Chelsea, where he appeared perpetually offside. Even more importantly, there will have to be an end product, which has long been Werner’s weakness. His pace always poses a problem for opponents, but his terrible finishing is far too often a source of immense frustration for his own team.

There is no more room for error, though. Time is running out for ‘Turbo Tim’. Julian Nagelsmann may have coaxed the best out of Werner at Leipzig, but the Germany boss won’t even entertain a recall unless his former charge shines at Spurs.

In his very first interview after joining, Werner said “I hope I can be the player I can be here.” He pretty much has to be, though, because he’s really the only the person that can possibly lose in this “win-win” deal.

Put quite simply, this is one opportunity Werner simply cannot afford to miss.