RB Leipzig chief executive Oliver Mintzlaff has warned Liverpool that the asking price for in-demand striker Timo Werner ‘won’t get any cheaper’.
The Germany international, whose contract contains a release clause in the region of £50million, was expected to be at the centre of a Premier League bidding war this summer, with Chelsea and Manchester United also credited with an interest.
Werner’s publicly-declared preference for a move to Anfield had made Jurgen Klopp’s side clear favourites, though the arrival of a global pandemic has now cast doubt on a move that was previously considered a sure thing.
Privately, the Merseyside club have recently begun dismissing any suggestions that they will swoop for the 24-year-old, who has scored 24 goals in 28 Bundesliga appearances this season.
It remains to be seen whether that stance is a negotiating ploy necessitated by the as-yet-unclear financial impact of the coronavirus crisis.
However, if that is the case, such an approach appears unlikely to work, with Leipzig determined to get the full asking price for their star man.
Chief executive Mintzlaff told Sport Bild: "It won't get any cheaper. We will not sell a player below value if he is under contract for more than a year.
"In general, we always have to ask the following question – can we replace a player if we sell him for less than his market value?
"But, I only think about those things once I have the facts on the table."
Liverpool themselves remain uncertain as to how the spread of Covid-19 will affect their ability to raise funds through transfers.
The Reds had been expecting to pocket around £28m for Xherdan Shaqiri this summer, the Swiss having attracted interest from across Europe despite an injury-plagued season.
However, club chiefs accept that they may need to be flexible on that asking price as football deals with the loss of income resulting from the spread of Covid-19.
