Transfer News: Liverpool set to face Real Madrid in Timo Werner pursuit

Liverpool are set to face fresh competition from Real Madrid in the race to sign Timo Werner, who reportedly has a £51 million release clause.

As reported by Daily Mail, Liverpool will brace themselves for additional competition in their pursuit of Timo Werner. It is believed that Real Madrid have joined the race, identifying the RB Leipzig forward as one of the candidates to replace Karim Benzema next season.

Werner has been linked with a move to Anfield for quite some time now. And while a move has never really materialised, the Reds do have an excellent chance of signing him in the summer, with the striker reportedly having a £51 million release clause.

That being said, Real Madrid’s interest in Werner could be a worrying prospect for Jurgen Klopp. The Liverpool manager will be keen on adding reinforcements in the offensive unit in the summer, particularly by signing a goalscoring centre-forward.

Roberto Firmino has done a remarkable job. But, Werner’s lethal scoring prowess, combined with his incredible work-rate, pace and versatility could potentially make him an upgrade over the Brazilian.

Moreover, a fee of just £51 million is considerably cheap for a player of his calibre. Indeed, Werner is regarded as one of the best strikers in Europe, having netted an astonishing 88 goals in 148 competitive matches since joining RB Leipzig.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid are keen on securing a long-term replacement for Benzema. The Spanish giants have been overly reliant on the services of the Frenchman, largely due to the fall of Luka Jovic, who has failed to impress after making a big-money move to Bernabeu last summer.

Benzema has scored 13 goals this season – more than any other Real Madrid player. But, he has scored only one goal in his last nine league games. Not to mention, the Frenchman is already 32 and is currently in the final phase of his career.

As a result, Real Madrid have come up with a list of potential candidates to replace Benzema next season. It is a list that includes players like Werner, Lautaro Martinez and Erling Haaland, who has been lightening up the Bundesliga since joining Borussia Dortmund in January.

But so has Werner, who has already registered 21 goals to his name this season, helping RB Leipzig put up a strong challenge to Bayern Munich for the league title. And Robert Lewandowski going out injured for four weeks, the German international has a strong chance of winning the Torjagerkanone by the end of the season.

Werner’s qualities are ideally suited to Zinedine Zidane’s high-paced game at Real Madrid. He is also a cost-effective option, which means Los Blancos will certainly look to exploit the player’s release clause. But, with Liverpool also interested, along with Chelsea also interested, it will be captivating to see how this transfer saga pans out this summer.