Timo Werner. (Kohn Walton/PA Wire/PA Images)

Liverpool continue to lead Timo Werner race but “no concrete decisions” made

Liverpool’s interest in landing Timo Werner has not waned, but “concrete decisions” on transfers during the coronavirus have not yet been made by the Reds.

In recent weeks talk of Werner’s potential switch to Anfield has largely emerged from his camp or those in Germany, with the 24-year-old providing an honest assessment of the situation last week.

Werner had ruled out a switch to Bayern Munich in favour of a “move aboard”, with “the challenge of another league” appealing more than a simple change of scenery in the Bundesliga.

And while the interest in linking up is mutual between all parties, doubt now surrounds any potential move this summer due to “the financial implications of coronavirus” and the “uncertainty over how it will reshape the market,” according to the Independent‘s Melissa Reddy.

Timo Werner (PA Images)

The report states that Liverpool have been keeping a watchful eye over Werner since 2015, with their “analysis escalating over the last two years” as he remained stylistically suitable to assume an attacking role in Jurgen Klopp’s side.

His widely reported release clause in the region of £50 million was “seen as good value” and Liverpool had been “willing” to agree to the outlay until football came to a standstill due to the pandemic and the resulting financial uncertainty.

What had looked an almost straightforward transfer with the player prepared to fight for his place and a ‘bargain’ fee within reach is now one clouded in uncertainty in terms of both finances and how the current season and the next will play out.

Notably, it was set to be another quiet summer for Liverpool unless an injury or a departure was sought by a key player, but “there is an appreciation now that any business under consideration is up in the air until there is a clearer picture over the transfer landscape across Europe.”

It will also be underpinned by how the Premier League resumes and the resulting implication it has on the remainder of the broadcasting deal and subsequent streams of revenue.

22 February 2020, North Rhine-Westphalia, Gelsenkirchen: Football: Bundesliga, FC Schalke 04 - RB Leipzig, 23rd matchday in the Veltins Arena: Timo Werner of Leipzig shows his raised thumb. Photo: Bernd Thissen/dpa - IMPORTANT NOTE: In accordance with the regulations of the DFL Deutsche Fu?ball Liga and the DFB Deutscher Fu?ball-Bund, it is prohibited to exploit or have exploited in the stadium and/or from the game taken photographs in the form of sequence images and/or video-like photo series.

Liverpool remains in pole position to land the Germany international but a decision on Werner will seemingly be on the back burner for now until the state of play becomes clearer.

Moreover, an “emphasis” will be on finding value this summer, like that of Joel Matip and Takumi Minamino, in what is a direct contradiction to claims from the Mirror’s David Maddock last week which said Liverpool are “virtually certain to do no transfer spending this summer.”

No clubs will be rushing into making decisions until clarity over the season and the weeks and months ahead is provided, but the positive is the Reds are to be in a strong position to move forward with Werner accordingly when it is feasible to do so.