Timo Werner is unlikely to leave Tottenham in January
Tottenham Hotspur have endured a mixed start to the season, with some of their performances not yielding the desired results.
It has not been plain sailing for the Lilywhites, but it is clear that under Ange Postecoglou, things are starting to take shape slowly. Despite investing millions in the summer transfer window, they could take a dip in the winter market for reinforcements to further strengthen their squad and bolster hopes of achieving a Champions League spot.
However, there is one player Tottenham are already looking to move on after a poor start to the season. Timo Werner is the name of that player. The German forward re-joined Spurs on a season-long loan from RB Leipzig back in May, with the deal including an £8.5million buy option. So far this campaign, he has only registered an assist in 11 appearances across all competitions.
As a result, the Lilywhites appear unlikely to sign the Stuttgart-born star permanently in the summer. Now, John Wenham—the owner of the famous Spurs podcast Lilywhite Rose—doesn’t expect Timo Werner to leave N17 in January. He finds it difficult to see another club covering Werner’s entire salary, i.e. £165,000 per-week excluding bonuses at Tottenham.
“I think Werner is highly unlikely to leave in January,” John Wenham exclusively told Tottenham News.
“It would require another club to cover his full salary. Unless another club is willing to do that, I’m not sure why RB Leipzig would end their agreement with us.
“Tottenham reportedly have a huge discount on the buy clause as well, because we took him on loan and are covering his full salary for another season.
“Therefore, I don’t see that happening. It is all well and good fans getting excited, but it would require another club matching what we’ve agreed, which is unlikely.”
Werner became surplus to requirements at RB Leipzig last season and was allowed to depart in January. He arrived at Spurs on loan in January, and even though the forward supplied a paltry return of two goals and three assists across the five months, Daniel Levy and Johan Lange decided to bring him back to north London—this time for the entire 2024/25 season.
The German hasn’t been up to scratch and looks extremely shorn in confidence. He has come under considerable criticism already, and with the ex-Chelsea flop not making much of an impact, fans would want the club to move him on as early as possible.
However, Wenham is right to predict that Werner’s hefty salary packet would be difficult for clubs across Europe to cover, especially with the 28-year-old devoid of confidence and energy at the moment. No club would want to take a big gamble on him.
-> Ex-scout doubts winter Tottenham move for £30 million rated Premier League striker
That said, it looks as though we might have been stuck with the 57-cap German international until the end of the campaign.
