In a world where transfer fees are becoming increasingly ridiculous, it’s understandable why players and clubs would jump at the prospect of signing someone for free. The player can demand higher wages and a big signing on fee but it’s still cheaper for the club than paying an enormous transfer fee.
It looked like Timo Werner would be the latest player to run down his contract and move for free next Summer. A Bundesliga journalist Tweeted in April indicating that Leipzig were expecting the player to reject any contract extension:
RB Leipzig CEO Oliver Mintzlaff says Timo Werner will not sign a new contract, telling Sky Germany: “We want to extend it with him, but he signaled that he would rather not extend it.” He has been linked with both Bayern Munich and Liverpool. #RBL #FCBayern #LFC
— Ronan Murphy (@swearimnotpaul) April 14, 2019
The Express linked him with a move to Anfield again the Summer and suggested that he would be available for a knock down price due to his situation.
He’s still at Leipzig and it started to look like he would simply try to run his contract down.
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That’s no longer the case as German news outlet Kicker have announced the player has now agreed a new contract to stay with Leipzig until 2023.
The story does indicate the new deal will include a release clause of around €30m which is staggeringly low when you consider how good a play Werner is.
He’s only 23, a full German international and has scored 51 goals in 94 league games for his club. You can only assume that Leipzig have agreed to this because it’s preferable to losing him for nothing next year.
It will be worth keeping an eye on this next Summer as a move still looks likely.