German publication Bild have reported that Liverpool could purchase Timo Werner in the summer but not have use of him until 2021 as they would instead send him back to RB Leipzig on a season-long loan. The news was shared on Twitter by Goal.com journalist and Bundesliga specialist Ronan Murphy (@swearimnotpaul), with numerous Reds fans giving their two cents on the proposed deal.
Liverpool could sign Timo Werner this summer and loan him back to RB Leipzig for the 2020-21 season, according to Bild. #LFC #RBL
— Ronan Murphy (@swearimnotpaul) March 8, 2020
Although the 24-year-old striker has found the net just once in his last six league matches, he still has an impressive haul of 27 goals for the season so far, seven more than Liverpool’s leading scorer Mohamed Salah and almost three times as many as the Reds’ main centre-forward Roberto Firmino. Also, as noted by Empire of the Kop, Salah and Sadio Mane could well be missing for a sizeable portion of 2020/21 if their respective countries qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations next January.
Liverpool have gone down the buy-and-loan-back road with previous transfers, signing Divock Origi in 2014 and instantly loaning him back to Lille for the following season (as per BBC). In another move involving RB Leipzig, they signed Naby Keita on a pre-contract deal in 2017 before he joined the Reds a year later (as per BBC).
These Reds fans on Twitter weren’t impressed upon hearing the transfer proposal for Werner, especially with their forward options set to be depleted next season due to the Africa Cup of Nations:
Makes zero sense and LFC is not a charity.
— LFC Views (@Mobyhaque1) March 8, 2020
Literally makes no sense. Front three in desperate need of competition and we have Mane/Salah missing for 6 weeks bc of AFCON
— ? (@szlfc) March 8, 2020
Or, and hear me out, Liverpool could sign Timo Werner this summer and *not* loan him back
— Lubo 6? (@lubomerkov) March 8, 2020
This would be rubbish how does that help Liverpool? We need reinforcements for next season
— LFCharry (@001Haz) March 8, 2020
What would be the point in that? Ridiculous.
— SLDLRD (@DPSD37) March 8, 2020
That’s just the most stupid thing ever written!
— Paul Winn II 6??? (@The_Paul_Winn) March 9, 2020
It’s general knowledge that he has a release clause at this point, so why would we do something as moronic as that.
— Mentality_GIANTS (@Mental1tyG1ANTS) March 8, 2020
This will never happen, no chance.
— Phil (@PhilTouil22) March 9, 2020
Liverpool fans, what do you make of the reported buy-and-loan-back proposal for Werner? Comment below with your views!
