Will Werner remain a tale of what could have been for Chelsea?

Timo Werner floated into Stamford Bridge during the summer of 2020 on a cloud of optimism, with Chelsea considered to have pulled off quite the coup in landing a German forward who had been attracting interest from across Europe.

A move to Liverpool had been heavily speculated on, but a switch to England saw a proven performer favour blue over red when looking to embrace a Premier League challenge.

It is fair to say that Werner has struggled to live up to his hype and continues to pose as many questions to observers of the interested and neutral variety as he does answers. With that in mind, could it be a case of two seasons and out in west London?

If that were to be the case, then plenty of happy memories would head with him through the exits. A Champions League winners’ medal was secured in 2021, and Thomas Tuchel’s side are 13/2 in football betting online to defend that crown. In football betting tips, they are also well fancied to chase down an FA Cup prize that has fallen agonisingly out of reach in each of the last two seasons.

Werner will be going nowhere until those quests come to a close, along with another top-four bid in the Premier League, but it remains to be seen what another transfer window will bring.

There have been further glimpses of what he is capable of over recent weeks, but doing the business against Luton at Kenilworth Road is considerably different to delivering in meetings with Liverpool during a trip down Anfield Road.

Falling flat

That has been part of the problem for Werner throughout his time with Chelsea, he has remained an enigma that boasts ability beyond question but inconsistencies that lead to onlooking hair being pulled out in giant clumps.

He appeared to be a perfect fit when taking the decision to walk away from a 95-goal stint at RB Leipzig, with his work rate, finishing ability and blistering pace seemingly tailor-made for life in the English top-flight.

All of those boxes continue to be ticked in the present, with Chelsea still working on bringing the best out of Romelu Lukaku. With brute force not always favoured in the final third, clever movement and speed over the ground should have a leading role to play.

The fact that said qualities are not getting regular recognition means that inevitable exit talk has been sparked.

If you believe what you read, then Werner could be retracing steps back to his homeland in a matter of months, with Borussia Dortmund reportedly drawing up a list of targets that will be asked to fill the sizeable boots of Erling Haaland.

That will be no easy task – certainly no easier than slotting into a star-studded squad at Stamford Bridge. It may, however, be a challenge that appeals to a man who saw his last fall a little flat and is scratching around to rekindle a lost spark.

It would come as no surprise if Werner were to head back to the Bundesliga and tear things up in familiar surroundings, with the talent obviously there, and such exploits would only add to a sense of what could have been for Chelsea and ‘Turbo Timo’.