Chelsea have been encouraged in their pursuit of Timo Werner after the RB Leipzig striker admitted he is keen on a move to the Premier League.
The 23-year-old is one of several forwards the Blues have identified as a possible candidate to help ease the goalscoring burden on Tammy Abraham with Lyon’s Moussa Dembele another under serious consideration.
Werner has scored 18 Bundesliga goals this season – a haul only bettered by Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski (19) – as Leipzig sit two points clear at the top of the table.
With the club in contention for their first ever Bundesliga title, Werner is unlikely to be allowed to depart this month despite interest from a host of clubs including Real Madrid.
Chelsea are therefore likely to have to wait until the summer if they are to try to sign the £70million-rated Germany international.
Werner told German newspaper Bild: “'The Premier League is certainly the most interesting league, you have to say. There is a certain flair to watching the English league and playing there.
“But many Germans have also been very successful in Spain, such as Sami Khedira and Mesut Ozil [who both played for Real]. As of now I have no desire to look for a move elsewhere.”
Lyon are also standing firm over their reluctance to sell Dembele during the season. Blues head coach Frank Lampard is reluctant to allow his attacking options to diminish further by allowing Olivier Giroud to depart but a deal could still happen.
The Frenchman is in advanced talks with Inter Milan amid a desperate search for first-team football ahead of Euro 2020. The two clubs are yet to agree a fee.
