Timo Werner: RB Leipzig re-sign striker from Chelsea | Transfer Centre News

RB Leipzig have re-signed striker Timo Werner from Chelsea.

The 26-year-old returns to the Bundesliga side having left two years ago to join Chelsea after the Blues activated his £45m release clause.

But the German has been unable to replicate the goalscoring form at Stamford Bridge, where he scored 23 goals in 89 appearances in all competitions.

Werner has re-joined RB Leipzig, where he scored 95 goals in 159 games in all competitions.

He was initially set to return to the club on a season-long loan with an option to buy, but talks between the two clubs moved quickly, and an agreement was reached for the permanent transfer of the Germany international.

Werner wanted to return to his old club and get regular game time to secure a starting spot in Hansi Flick’s Germany squad at the World Cup in November.

His relationship with Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel was also said to be an issue, although Tuchel was understood to be unwilling to let the forward leave.

Werner, who also attracted interest from Juventus, only started 15 Premier League games last season, scoring four times.

Werner was not in the squad for Chelsea’s opening victory of the season at Everton.

Spurned chances extinguished potential

Sky Sports’ Adam Smith:

Timo Werner arrived in the Premier League with great expectations. His playing style was likened to Mohamed Salah and the forward immediately displayed his direct qualities but struggled to convert chances in front of goal.

The radar below compares Werner’s per-90 statistics during his time at Chelsea with his final three league campaigns in Germany and reveals the only metric that notably changed was his strike-rate.

In terms of tangible numbers, Werner scored 10 goals in two Premier League seasons at Chelsea – but should have scored nearly twice that figure, according to expected goals (xG).

The scatter chart below shows how that ratio plays out in the context of the entire division, with Tottenham winger Heung-Min Son converting 40 goals from an xG figure of just 25.85.

In fact, Werner’s xG differential – the difference between the number of goals he scored and his xG – ranks as the worst in the Premier League since his debut.

The shot map below plots all of his 124 shots for Chelsea in the Premier League, with points coloured in progressive red shades indicating easier chances to convert – revealing a raft of spurned chances in front of goal.

The 26-year-old was deployed in numerous positions across the firing line in an attempt to surface his underlying talent, but he failed to deliver while competing against a host of attacking options vying for starting berths.

It is hoped a return to Leipzig will enable the Germany international to rekindle his clinical returns, which proved devastating in the Bundesliga during three prolific seasons before his £45m switch to London.

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