Manchester United signing a player who came in for criticism at Chelsea, and now finds himself looking to rebuild his once-glittering reputation at Old Trafford?
We have been here before, Mason Mount’s £55 million move to Manchester United raising plenty of eyebrows on the back of a difficult final season at Stamford Bridge. But the reaction to Mount’s summer switch would likely pale into insignificance compared to the confusion and the questions that would inevitably arise should Timo Werner reunite with his former Chelsea team-mate in Erik ten Hag’s dressing room.
Werner, at Chelsea, endured the sort of treatment Harry Maguire would sympathise with. The man who spawned a thousand memes. Werner arrived as one of Europe’s most highly-rated marksman and rapidly became a figure of mirth. A player it became trendy to mock. The ‘blind horse’, as Rafael van der Vaart cruelly labelled him.
But reports of interest from Manchester United and Real Madrid (albeit theirs has cooled) is proof that, at some of the continent’s biggest clubs, Werner remains a highly respected footballer. United, Sky Germany say, have already enquired about his availability ahead of the January transfer window. Werner potentially on the move again a year-and-a-half after his £25 million return to RB Leipzig.
United, per the Manchester Evening News, made an 11th hour approach for the German international last summer too.
Manchester United like Timo Werner
Now, Werner is not the elite-level attacking addition that would get Manchester United supporters dreaming of a return to the glory days. He’s scored only two goals in 12 games this season, his Red Bull wings clipped.
But consider what Ten Hag wants from his number nine – a prodigious work-ethic, pressing from the front, positional versatility and never-ending movement – and you can see why Werner’s poor form over in the Bundesliga may be overlooked in favour of the qualities he could bring to this United side.
“He’s brilliant,” Mount told ITV after Werner assisted his decisive strike in Chelsea’s 2-0 FA Cup semi-final victory over Crystal Palace back in 2022. A typically ferocious, all-action display which earned him the Man of the Match award.
“He’s done so well the last couple of games,” Mount added. Highlighting Werner’s resilience and his willingness to run his proverbial socks off for the greater good.
“You could see it in the second half. He had a chance and missed, then ran all the way back to the halfway line to win the ball. That shows the kind of player he is, and what he brings to this team.”
Mason Mount and Timo Werner reunited?
If Werner ends up joining Mount at Manchester United, do not expect him to break the 30-goal barrier any time soon. But if Ten Hag wants an outlet in attack – someone capable of forcing mistakes, running in behind, defending from the front and drifting wide – then you’d struggle to find a player who ticks more of those boxes than Timo Werner.
Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford, Antony and, of course, Mount, could only benefit from Werner’s work-rate and defence-stretching qualities.
“The way he works, he’s relentless,” then-Blues boss Thomas Tuchel beamed to Sky Sports after Werner ran the Manchester City backline into the ground and set the tone for a 2-1 Chelsea win.
“He really wants it. He was working like a dog. Really, really working hard up front. It was so important. He gave them a hard time with all these runs.”
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