Rumour Has It: Werner prepared to exit Chelsea this close season

By Sports Desk March 11, 2021

Timo Werner's unproductive spell at Chelsea may be over after one season.

The Germany international only signed from RB Leipzig ahead of this season.

He has largely underwhelmed with five goals from 27 Premier League appearances.

 

TOP STORY – WERNER COULD LEAVE CHELSEA

Football Insider reports Werner is prepared to quit Chelsea less than 12 months into a bumper five-year contract.

Werner netted 28 Bundesliga goals for RB Leipzig in 2019-20 but that return has drastically fallen since moving to London.

It is said there is a growing expectation that Werner will leave in the next year or two, despite the arrival of countryman Thomas Tuchel, which has led to a slight upturn in form.

ROUND-UP

- Manchester City forward Sergio Aguero has been offered a contract by Barcelona, according to TyC Sports. City have publicly declared they will not make a call on off-contract Aguero's future until the close season.

- AS reports that Real Madrid are willing to listen to offers for French centre-back Raphael Varane this close season. It is claimed he is interested in playing in the Premier League.

- Milan are keen to sign 22-year-old PSV forward Donyell Malen, according to Calciomercato. This is despite the probable renewal of veteran Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

- Bild reports that Wolfsburg coach Oliver Glasner is ready to quit his post amid a breakdown in his relationship with sporting director Jorg Schmadtke, with Borussia Monchengladbach a potential new home with Marco Rose to depart for Borussia Dortmund.

Related items

  • Kylian Mbappe bags brace as PSG stun Barcelona to reach Champions League semis Kylian Mbappe bags brace as PSG stun Barcelona to reach Champions League semis

    Kylian Mbappe scored twice as Paris St Germain came from two goals down on aggregate to stun Barcelona and reach the semi-finals of the Champions League.

    Trailing 3-2 from the first leg, the visitors faced an uphill struggle when Raphinha scored the opener for Barca.

    But the match turned when Ronald Araujo was sent off for a professional foul and goals from Ousmane Dembele, Vitinha and Mbappe’s double gave PSG a 4-1 win on the night and a 6-4 aggregate victory.

    Barca took the lead, and gave themselves a two-goal cushion in the tie, in the 12th minute after superb work from Lamine Yamal.

    The 16-year-old collected a pass on the right and ran at Nuno Mendes before a nifty piece of skill took him past the Portugal full-back.

    Raphinha, who scored twice in the first leg, did not know much about his third of the tie as it ricocheted in off his shin four yards out.

    The hosts almost had a second when Raphinha’s cross was only cleared to Robert Lewandowski, whose shot just went over the crossbar.

    PSG remained a threat, though, and Marc-Andre ter Stegen had to make a smart save low to his left to keep out Mbappe’s close-range effort.

    The drama came in the 29th minute when Araujo was shown a straight red card after he barged Bradley Barcola over on the edge of the area.

    The Spaniards protested furiously that Pau Cubarsi was a covering defender, but after a VAR review, the decision stood.

    Ten minutes later PSG were level on the night when Barcola whipped in a low cross which eluded Mbappe but was emphatically finished by Dembele at the far post.

    After the break Vitinha collected the ball 25 yards out and, with no defenders closing him down, rifled into the net.

    Ilkay Gundogan shaved a post for Barca but their night was about to take another turn for the worst when, first, boss Xavi was shown a red card for his angry reaction on the touchline.

    Moments later PSG had a penalty when Joao Cancelo slid in and brought down Dembele, and Mbappe duly dispatched the spot-kick as the Ligue 1 side went ahead in the tie.

    Barcelona staged a late rally but Gianluigi Donnarumma saved brilliantly from Lewandowski and Raphinha fired wide.

    And in the last minute PSG broke forward and Mbappe lashed in the fourth to seal a stunning win.

  • Southampton close on top two as Che Adams scores twice in win over Preston Southampton close on top two as Che Adams scores twice in win over Preston

    Che Adams notched a brace to give Southampton a 3-0 victory over Preston, a third home win in seven days and a clear view of the Sky Bet Championship automatic promotion places.

    Striker Adams claimed a classy first-half double – which took him past 100 league goals – before Scotland team-mate Stuart Armstrong crashed in a third.

    After three defeats in four matches in February, Saints thought they would be consigned to the play-offs but three wins in a row, along with Ipswich, Leeds and Leicester’s stumbles, have them four points outside the top two with a game in hand on all but Leicester.

    Saints were forced into a pre-match alteration as Gavin Bazunu hobbled out of the warm-ups, with Alex McCarthy brought in for his first league start since the final day of last season – having not initially been named on the bench.

    The former England international fumbled his only real work of the night – an early low shot from Mads Frokjaer – but from that point, the hosts suffocated North End with electric passing and goals.

    After a couple of close shaves, Adams reached his ton of goals with a 19th minute tap-in. The Scotland international made a smart run in the middle to put himself on the end of Adam Armstrong’s low centre.

    Ten minutes later and Saints had doubled their lead after a gorgeous free-flowing move which ended with Adams coolly slotting into the bottom corner following a pass from David Brooks.

    Freddie Woodman’s high position twice gave his colleagues a heart-in-mouth moment as Adam Armstrong and Adams both took aim with lobs from 35 yards – both ending up on the roof of the goal.

    Saints grabbed their third in the 33rd minute, when Duane Holmes’ abject attempt at a clearance fell to Stuart Armstrong to stroke into a largely unguarded net.

    Holmes, already booked, was lucky to stay on the pitch as he tripped Ryan Manning on the edge of the box soon after – with Stuart Armstrong’s free-kick straight at Woodman. But the United States international was hooked by manager Ryan Lowe before the end of the half.

    Stuart Armstrong struck the base of a post but Saints would not have been too worried against a Preston side who have not scored a second-half goal on the road in 2024.

    Adams had a number of chances to claim the match ball in the second half, none more so than in the 67th minute when he duped a defender with his run, pulled a lofted through-ball down and was only foiled by the onrushing Woodman’s face.

    Woodman also saved a rasping effort from Brooks as Saints eased off with the three points secured.

  • Curtis Davies nets winner as Cheltenham hit back in relegation scrap with Burton Curtis Davies nets winner as Cheltenham hit back in relegation scrap with Burton

    Veteran defender Curtis Davies headed home the winner to complete a precious Cheltenham 2-1 comeback victory over League One relegation rivals Burton at the Pirelli Stadium.

    The Robins produced a stirring second-half fight back to end their four-game losing run with goals from Matty Taylor and Davies after substitute Steve Seddon had given the Brewers the lead.

    Seddon fired home in stoppage time at the end of a first half which, by and large, was a scrappy affair with both sides aware of the magnitude of the game, in terms of the scrap to beat the drop.

    It was no real surprise it came from a set-piece, Jasper Moon’s long throw helped on by Sam Hughes and falling perfectly for the substitute to drive home.

    Taylor got Cheltenham back into the game six minutes after the break with a looping header from Jordan Thomas’ cross and the turnaround was complete with a little under twenty minutes to go when Davies rose highest in the six-yard box to head home Will Ferry’s corner.

    Victory pushed Cheltenham to within two points of the Brewers and safety and with a game in hand on Albion.

© 2023 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.