Liverpool to put Werner pursuit on hold?

Given the perspective put forward by The Athletic journalist James Pearce, it seems likely that Liverpool will wait for a while before deciding on a move for RB Leipzig’s Timo Werner.

The Champions League holders have long been linked with the prolific forward. Pearce confirms that signing a high-quality player to add depth to the attacking section was indeed being considered by the Merseyside club, but that was before the Covid-19 pandemic struck.

The current situation leaves many segments of the financial picture unclear for clubs around the globe, and Liverpool are no exception. With matches set to be played behind closed doors, it seems likely that they will have to wait a long time before they can count on any serious matchday revenue. The deals with both domestic and international broadcasting are also disputable, as are those with the club’s global sponsors given that the club won’t be able to fulfill their side of the agreement in terms of exposure. The high-profile friendly matches that had been planned for this year’s pre-season have been cancelled. The size of the potential financial losses remain unclear.

Liverpool’s need for a player like Werner seemed strong with the African Cup of Nations being set for the middle of next season and Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Naby Keita all absent for around six weeks, but that too is now extremely doubtful. The reasons for them to hurry with the move have arguably been made even less valid by the reports claiming that the 24-year-old Germany international would rather revisit the Anfield idea in 2021 than move anywhere else, despite interest from Barcelona, Manchester United and Chelsea.

Any potential deal for the 24-year-old Germany international this year depends on many factors, not least Leipzig’s willingness to accept an offer significantly lower than the reported release clause of €60 million in his contract. They might be tempted to do so, however, as the clause apparently drops to €40m in 12 months.