Rio Ferdinand was blown away by Timo Werner’s pace and movement after watching him ‘destroy’ Tottenham in the Champions League and has urged Manchester United to sign the forward ahead of Liverpool and Chelsea.
Werner, 24, has had an incredible start to the season, scoring 27 goals in 36 appearances for Leipzig, and his barnstorming form, particularly in Europe, has seen him heavily linked with a big-money move to the Premier League in the summer transfer window.
Liverpool have been at the front of the queue for Werner’s signature – with Jurgen Klopp known to be a keen admirer – and Chelsea have also been heavily linked in recent months as Frank Lampard looks to bolster his attacking options.
But this week, Leipzig director Markus Krosche suggested a summer move for Werner could be scuppered due to the coronavirus crisis and its potential repercussions over the coming months.
Responding to Krosche’s comments during an Q&A session with his Instagram followers, Ferdinand said: ‘His move to Liverpool is called off, they’re saying, because of the virus but there’s a lot of clubs in for him. If Liverpool are saying they’re not going to buy him then I’m sure there’s going to be other people that are going to be very willing to take him.
‘I watched him destroy Spurs in the Champions League, live,
and I thought: “Wow, this kid has got something”. Obviously he’s been talked
about for a while as a top player, big potential. But this was the game I saw
him and thought, “Oh, his movement!”.
‘He looks mature, he’s quick, he should have scored another goal
in the game when the ball came through to him and he took a bad touch but I
just like the way he moves. He’s not pinned down to one position.
‘When I look at strikers I think, “Would I enjoy playing
against him? Would I find it easy? What ways would he make it difficult?”, and I
think he’s just elusive in his movement – you look round and he’s over there, you
look round and he’s over there.
‘He’s not in one position all the time which, for him, is an asset and he’s very direct. You look at his goals return… he’s had 31 appearances, 25 goals and 11 assists this season.’
Ferdinand is confident Werner would be an excellent signing for either Chelsea or Liverpool, considering both clubs are in need of attacking reinforcements ahead of the 2020/21 campaign.
The former United and England defender believes Werner would also be a ‘great’ addition at Old Trafford if Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is looking to strengthen his options up front.
‘What he’s been doing for his club, he’s been playing particularly well he is their goal threat and so, if I’m Liverpool, I 100 per cent take him because they haven’t got that back-up for the front-three at the moment,’ Ferdinand continued.
‘If one of them gets injured for a sustained amount of time, they haven’t got anyone – as well as Divock Origi has done, the Champions League exploits, I’d want more than that.
‘If I was Werner I’d be thinking: “I don’t think [Mohamed] Salah is gonna be here that much longer, [Sadio] Mane might get bought out of here as well so I could get my chance that way” but also I’d be thinking there’s enough games in the season to get games and I can make an impact, try and push my way in.
‘But there’s other clubs… Chelsea I think are interested in
him. He would be massive for Chelsea, an unbelievable signing for Chelsea.
‘I think United would go for him as well. I think he’d be great for Manchester United, definitely. Another one added to that great group of players that they’ve got up front.’
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