Timo Werner has been linked with a move to Liverpool for pretty much an eternity now, and there have been recent developments which suggest that he could finally move to Anfield.
The German was also linked with a move to Bayern Munich, but as per German news outlet BILD, Werner will not move to the Bavarian side in the summer.
Now, this is pretty big news if true, as Bayern are usually the biggest lure for any player in the German Bundesliga.
BILD also claim that Werner has been swayed by Jürgen Klopp’s presence at Liverpool, and would like to play under his compatriot.
Liverpool’s front three — Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino, and Mohamed Salah — is perhaps the best in the world, so how will Werner fit in should he sign for the Reds?
Timo Werner’s potential arrival could see a formation change
Many believe that Werner’s potential arrival could see him compete with Firmino for a place in the Liverpool starting lineup.
Klopp, for one, is a manager who never rushes new signings into the playing set-up, so initially, we could see Timo Werner play second fiddle to Firmino. Once he does get up to speed, though, we could possibly see a tactical switch by Klopp.
The German manager has brought the best out of Firmino, and dare I say it, has even managed to build the Liverpool attack around the Brazilian. Ask any Liverpool fan, and they will tell you the impact Firmino has on the pitch. Ask a rival fan, though, and they will just point out to his goal-return, presuming he is the ‘striker’ in the team.
The simple fact is Firmino isn’t Liverpool’s striker. If you really analyse the way the team play, you’ll find out that Mane and Salah are players who are more akin to the ones who finish off moves, and yes, can be deemed as strikers, even though they start as the wide players.
Firmino is seen as the architect of the build-up play, and takes over in the final third with his creativity, He may not be a pass-master like an Iniesta or a Sneijder, but his ability to hold the ball and timing of the pass is often immaculate.
Should Klopp decide to play Werner more regularly, we could see the manager switch to a 4-2-3-1 set-up, with Firmino playing in the number 10 role to accommodate Werner.
Werner, for all his abilities as a forward, isn’t the same player as Firmino. The former Stuttgart man is someone who can run at defenders with his pace and dribbling skills, and apply the finishing touches to moves.
Liverpool could possibly lose out some of Firmino’s passing and touches in the final third should they directly replace the Brazilian with Werner.
Firmino’s work-rate, combined with an eye for a pass means he would do a pretty good job as a number 10, so that’s a very likely set-up Klopp could go with to maintain the fluidity in attack once Werner gets up to speed, assuming the Reds sign him of course.