Klopp held ‘virtual meeting’ with Timo Werner over Liverpool transfer at Easter as RB Leipzig striker eyes Anfield move
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JURGEN KLOPP held a "virtual meeting" with Timo Werner over Easter to discuss a transfer to Liverpool.
The runaway Premier League leaders are desperate to land the German forward this summer after his stunning season for RB Leipzig.
Werner, 24, has smashed in a staggering 30 goals in 38 appearances for the Bundesliga side already.
That includes a third hat-trick of the campaign in the 5-0 thumping over Mainz this weekend, leading Klopp's old side to beg the Anfield club to take him away from the Bundesliga.
According to respected German football expert Raphael Honigstein, Klopp 'met' with Werner as he tried to convince the striker to make the switch to Merseyside.
And Sport Bild in Germany reiterated talks took place around Easter with both England and Germany in lockdown.
There were reports in April Klopp also called Kylian Mbappe's dad in the hope of persuading the Paris Saint-Germain sensation to move to Anfield.
Speaking to BT Sport about Werner, though, Honigstein said: "I think it depends on what Liverpool want to do because Werner’s been on the record saying he wants to go there and he is available because of a release clause which at the worst would cost about £55m.
"So far Liverpool have been linked closely and there has been a meeting between him and Jurgen Klopp, at least a virtual one over the last few weeks.
"I think they’re a bit hesitant to pull the trigger because they haven’t quite figured out how much of a financial problem the coronavirus will present itself to football, coming over the next month in the Premier League.
"I think he’s waiting for things to fall into shape and it could be that the transfer window is much later than usual.
"This kind of deal would have been announced in April/May, this time it could be August or September, but I still think there’s a very strong chance he’ll end up at Liverpool."
Werner likes the idea of moving to Liverpool and was full of praise for the club and the manager, compatriot Jurgen Klopp.
He labelled the Kop club as the "best team in the world" and added he would be a "good fit" at Anfield.
And reports this weekend also suggested Liverpool are closing in on a deal for the Germany international.
He has a release clause of around £51million and German newspaper Bild's Head of Football Christian Falk believes Werner's switch to Liverpool will happen this summer.
He told lfctransferroom: “According to our information, the clause is €55m as a base value and can grow to €60m if RB Leipzig makes it into the Champions League.
“And yes, I think this transfer is happening. Interestingly, Werner now has a new social media and marketing agency.
“The boss of this agency is also Jurgen Klopp’s manager. Werner is also talking a lot about Liverpool in the public eye now, too."
And should Werner make the transfer, Owen Hargreaves reckons the ex-Stuttgart man can have the same devastating impact at Anfield as Kop hero Fernando Torres.
The former Bayern Munich, Manchester United and England midfielder said: "Werner is the Fernando Torres type, where he is super explosive, he will run away from anyone.
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"He's got to make sure that he gets the right fit. We saw this with Torres when he left Liverpool, the way they played, Stevie G [Gerrard] playing those balls through the middle — a match made in heaven.
"Then he goes to Chelsea where they had a lot of slow possession and no space to run into. That's not a great fit. He was a super player, Chelsea were a super team, but you've got to play to a player's strengths.
"Werner would suit Liverpool. They counter and transition better than anyone. He will be doing homework on who will be a good fit for him."
