Rb Leipzig forward Timo Werner has been a subject of interest from top clubs around Europe as well as transfer speculations from the media for over a year now. Lately it has been widely reported that he has a release clause in his contract set at €60 million which needs to be activated by the end of next month, when it expires.

The 24-year-old’s numbers this season have been amazing – a total of 39 goal involvements (27 goals, 12 assists) in 36 games in all competitions, which goes a long way to explain all the fuss. He was flirting heavily with Liverpool before the Coronavirus outbreak put a stop to football across Europe, naming them as the best team and Jurgen Klopp the best manager in the world, and the links with the Champions League holders have consequently been frequent.

However, speaking to Sport1, Leipzig sporting director Markus Krosche expressed some reservations about all the guesswork on this subject. He believes the inevitable long-lasting effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the transfer market might well result in clubs being unable to afford Werner and the striker staying put.