Chelsea are closing in on a deal to sign striker Timo Werner from RB Leipzig, British media reported Thursday.
The 24-year-old had been thought to to be attracting interest from Premier League champions-elect Liverpool but it appears Chelsea have in fact met the German's reported release clause of some £53 million ($67 million).
Were Chelsea to bring Werner to Stamford Bridge it would be a major feather in the cap of the west London club.
For the past year there has been speculation linking Werner with a move to Anfield but time appears to be running out for the Reds, with the forward's release
clause expiring on June 15 -- two days before the Premier League is set to restart after a corona virus-enforced break of several months. The Germany international has scored 31 goals for Leipzig in all competitions.
Werner is second-top scorer in the Bundesliga this season with 25 goals, four behind Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski. He has made 29 appearances for Germany, scoring 11 times. Chelsea have already agreed a deal to sign Ajax winger Hakim Ziyech.