Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly closing in on the shock signing of RB Leipzig striker Timo Werner on loan for the remainder of the season.
The 27-year-old burst onto the scene with Die Roten Bullen before making the move to Chelsea in 2020, although he often struggled for consistency under Thomas Tuchel.
Werner nevertheless won the Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup with the Blues, amassing 23 goals and 21 assists in 89 games, but he was shipped back out to Leipzig on a permanent deal in the summer of 2022.
The Germany international's first season back in Germany saw him amass a respectable 16 goals and six assists in 40 games last term, but since the arrival of Lois Openda from Lens, Werner's fortunes have taken a turn for the worse.
From 14 appearances in all competitions this season, Werner has scored just twice while providing one assist, and he has not made an appearance in Germany's top flight since a 2-0 loss to Mainz on November 4.
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Back and adductor injuries have not helped Werner's cause, and the attacker remains under contract at Leipzig until the summer of 2026, but he could soon swap the Bundesliga for the English capital for a second time.
According to Sky Deutschland journalist Florian Plettenberg, Tottenham are on the verge of capturing Werner on a six-month loan deal, and the two clubs are expected to thrash out the final details of the transfer on Saturday.
Werner is set to exit Leipzig's training camp in order to complete his move to Tottenham, whose head coach Ange Postecoglou has approved the deal, and Werner himself is also keen to work under the Australian's wing in the Premier League.
An option to make the German's stay permanent could also be included as part of the transaction, and Tottenham are expected to pay Werner's wages in full during his time in North London.
The 27-year-old's versatility is believed to have been a key factor in Tottenham's interest, and the Lilywhites have won the race for his signature despite Manchester United being offered the chance to sign him this month.
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Tottenham did not bring in a big-money successor to Harry Kane during the summer transfer window, instead capturing Brennan Johnson and Alejo Veliz from Nottingham Forest and Rosario Central respectively.
However, Veliz has now been ruled out for a couple of months with the knee injury he sustained against Bournemouth in Spurs' last Premier League match, while captain Son Heung-min is away on Asian Cup duty for the next few weeks.
Spurs lacked attacking inspiration in their FA Cup third-round clash with Burnley on Friday evening, although they managed to scrape a 1-0 win over the Clarets thanks to a stunning long-range strike from Pedro Porro.
Postecoglou's men now have over a full week to recuperate before they head to Manchester United for next weekend's intriguing Premier League battle, where Werner could potentially make his Tottenham debut if his transfer goes through in the coming days.
Ben Knapton
