Liverpool FC has refused to pay the release clause of RB Leipzig striker Timo Werner. The German international was touted for a move to Anfield in the upcoming transfer window by several reports over the past few months.
Moreover, Werner had also publicly stated his desire to play for the Merseyside club and be a part of Jurgen Klopp’s future plans for the soon to be Premier League champions. The transfer had been widely expected to go through considering Klopp’s interest in Werner, who has been a revelation for his club, RB Leipzig, in the Bundesliga this season scoring 24 goals in 27 matches.
However, according to recent reports, Liverpool FC has declined to pay the asking price as the release clause for signing Werner in this year’s summer transfer window. This decision of the Premier League club comes days after RB Leipzig’s CEO Oliver Mintzlaff stating that the German club would not accept any bids for their prized striker lower than £50 million.
Mintzlaff further explained that the Bundesliga club would not allow a player to leave for below his market value if the player’s contract with the club ran for more than a year. With Leipzig’s insistence that they would not negotiate any deal below £50 million for Werner, and Liverpool FC’s refusal to pay the stipulated amount, it means that The Reds have completely pulled out of the deal to sign the striker.
The onset of the coronavirus pandemic has caused deep tensions in the financial world of football. The board of directors at Liverpool FC is expecting a shortfall of nearly £100million in income over the next 12 months. This is believed to be the primary reason behind Liverpool FC’s decision to not go ahead with the much-anticipated deal for Werner. The Premier League club is now believed to value Werner at less than £30m, which means that the German striker will not be seen playing in The Reds kit anytime soon.
