Chelsea striker Timo Werner has spoken about his Chelsea future while raising concerns over regular playing minutes.
Chelsea splashed £48 million to sign Werner from RB Leipzig in 2020 after he scored a massive 34 goals in 45 appearances in the 2019/20 season.
However, the German is still to produce such numbers at Stamford Bridge much to the disappointment of fans and the coach. Further on, Thomas Tuchel’s appointment came as a glimmer of hope for Werner to revive his Chelsea stint.
But under Tuchel as well, Chelsea bought Romelu Lukaku last summer for £97 million to lead their attack. Lukaku’s failure as well led to Tuchel experiment with Kai Havertz as his striker.
‘I want to play more’- says Timo Werner
Last season’s juggling between Lukaku and Havertz in the number-9 role saw Werner get only 19 starts in all competitions. This summer as well, Chelsea have now added Raheem Sterling for £50 million to their attack.
Sterling will no doubt be ahead of Werner in the pecking order given his exploits in the Premier League. Timo Werner could therefore experience another cut in his playing time next season.
The striker however has now confessed that an exit could be pursued by him if he continues to get less minutes on the pitch. He said, “I could be happy everywhere.
“The most important thing is that I am happy. I am happy when I play and score goals. That’s the fact. That’s what I should take care of and other things will come.”
On further being asked whether he has conveyed his thoughts to Tuchel, Werner said, “The manager always has different ideas, different thoughts and what you need in different games.
“In many games I was not in his thoughts so I try to change that. It is not different to last season, it was the same when Romelu came. We had big, big competition. It’s still the same.
“At a big club like Chelsea you have that competition. In pre-season you can show that you want to play, that you are a guy who wants to be in the starting XI. That’s what I try.”
Moreover, with the World Cup not far away, Werner suggests that he needs to play regularly in order to make it to Qatar. “It is clear I want to play more and I should play more to be in good shape for the World Cup — and also to have a chance to play.”
Meanwhile, Werner is not the only one at the moment staring at an exit. Hakim Ziyech, Cesar Azpilicueta, Marcos Alonso, Armando Broja are all in line to leave Stamford Bridge this summer.