Timo Werner makes feelings clear on Chelsea future amid transfer speculation

Timo Werner is reportedly "thinking about leaving Chelsea" due to a lack of Premier League minutes but would prefer to stay at Stamford Bridge.

The Germany international, 26, has scored just seven Premier League goals since his £47.5million move from RB Leipzig in July 2020. His lack of goals has seen him fall down the pecking order under Thomas Tuchel, starting only eight league games this season.

Much was expected of Werner when he arrived at Chelsea. He scored 28 Bundesliga goals for Leipzig during his final season in Germany and remains prolific at international level, finding the back of the net 22 times in 49 senior outings.

Some believe Werner should leave Stamford Bridge in pursuit of regular football and, according to Sky in Germany, he is considering a move. Yet it's believed his preference is to stay in west London. The forward has 38 months remaining on his existing deal.

Werner's contract is thought to be the biggest stumbling block in leaving Chelsea. He is currently valued at £37.8m by Transfermarkt and reportedly earns €15m a year - around £245,000-a-week - at Stamford Bridge. Few clubs would match those wages.

Chelsea have other strikers on their books. Romelu Lukaku completed a £97.5m move from Inter Milan last summer - scoring just five Premier League goals since - and Kai Havetz impressed as a false nine earlier this term when Lukaku and Werner were both injured.

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Speaking about his future last October, Werner said: "The last weeks at Chelsea have been difficult for me. I fell behind and had to fight my way back. In a career, things always go up and down, never steadily up. But you learn to deal with it.

"I have to force my way back in, and that's what challenges me. Of course I want more playing time, so I'm giving everything in training. Of course I can't be satisfied if I don't play. Of course I want to be a regular starter for a big team.

"But I'm not saying I'm desperate to leave if I don't start 10 or 15 games before Christmas. In football, things change relatively quickly. I have to look at the big picture to make my decision."

Tuchel has previously stated his desire to keep Werner. "I am sure that we will find games and solutions where we play with both of them [Werner and Lukaku]," said the German coach last September. "We did already and Timo and Romelu can be a good fit together.

"Timo loves to play around a reference up front and Romelu is clearly our reference up front being a tall and physical player. The most important is he finds his rhythm and confidence and joy and makes his point and makes his way into the team.

"The players are in charge to take their positions and fight for their positions and once they have it to not give it away... we have not too many players but we have players with high quality and high ambition and Timo is clearly a guy that we count on and that is absolutely necessary we have him on high level."