Aniket Rai
Timo Werner wanted Manchester United transfer before Chelsea, Liverpool
According to WhatsApp messages extracted and published in Der Spiegel (h/t Liverpool Echo) detailing a lawsuit between the agent of Timo Werner, Karl-Heinz Forster, and his former associate Murat Lokurlu, the German striker wanted a move to Manchester United over Chelsea and Liverpool.
The 25-year-old striker made quite an impression for RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga. That was bound to attract interest from top clubs and Liverpool approached him before his contract was about to expire in 2019.
A move, however, did not materialize. Werner went on to sign a new deal at the German club and Jurgen Klopp’s side ended up signing Diogo Jota.
But the messages submitted as evidence by Lokurlu (h/t Liverpool Echo) claims that Werner spoke of favouring a move to Manchester United right after Liverpool submitted an offer of five-year deal worth £200,000-a-week in wages.
What could have been…
This would have also included £21million in added bonuses. United also tabled an offer that trumped Liverpool’s package – in the region of about €15million-a-year in salary.
However, Werner ended up moving to Chelsea a year after penning a new deal at Leipzig as the Londoners met his £48million release clause.
The German striker hasn’t had the best time at Stamford Bridge despite being trusted to start last season by both Thomas Tuchel and Frank Lampard. Now, a former Manchester United hitman in Romelu Lukaku has displaced him in the pecking order.
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- Transfer News: Manchester United still interested in Declan Rice and Erling Haaland for next year
With the Red Devils signing Cristiano Ronaldo this summer, there isn’t a lot to regret. But one can only wonder how it would have turned out for all parties had Werner gotten a move to his ‘favourite‘ option – Manchester United, instead of a ‘super alternative’ in Chelsea.
