Why Manchester United must reignite interest in Timo Werner
According to a report from the Manchester Evening News, Manchester United were interested in acquiring the services of RB Leipzig forward Timo Werner in the summer. But a move never materialised and Werner has stayed at Leipzig.
The Germany international joined Leipzig from Stuttgart in 2016 and has excelled in recent seasons, taking the Bundesliga by storm with his exceptional forward play. At this point, Werner is one of the most lethal strikers across Europe.
The 22-year-old has started the season well, scoring four goals in eight Bundesliga outings for Leipzig. With Werner admitting he wants to play in England one day, he might be tempted by a move to Old Trafford should Man United make an attempt to sign him.
Manchester United have endured a poor start to the Premier League and after just 10 games, find themselves nine points adrift of the top spot. Jose Mourinho’s team have leaked goals at an alarming rate and at the same time, have lacked cohesion and cutting edge in attack.
United’s chief source of goals, Romelu Lukaku has had a torrid time in the past couple of months or so. The big Belgian is without a goal in nine games for United and is struggling to hit form. Lukaku’s contribution to the collective cause has been questioned on a regular basis but Mourinho has continued to keep his faith.
Improvement is clearly required and Lukaku cannot be entirely blamed for his struggles in front of the goal.
The 25-year-old has often lacked service from his teammates and Mourinho can spark the Belgian back into form by pairing him with another striker. And the Portuguese manager would do a terrific job if he manages to bring in Werner in January.
Werner would be the attacking threat that United clearly need, offering a new dimension in the final third by coming off the bench. The German is known for getting behind defences by using intelligent movement and blistering pace to crack the opposition. He is agile, quick, smart and is blessed with a good technique.
The 22-year-old’s decision-making is top-notch and can offer some impeccable finishing to United. Werner is a specialist centre-forward who can also play as a secondary striker and Mourinho can utilise him to reduce the burden on Lukaku’s shoulders. Werner is a selfless striker and looks to bring his teammates into the action rather than going for glory.
At this point, Werner would be a perfect player to rotate with Lukaku and keep things ticking for the Red Devils. Werner and Lukaku are two entirely different players and their combination would be lethal, helping United score goals at a blistering rate.
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Hence, convincing Werner to join United midway through the season would be some statement of intent from Mourinho.