Chelsea flop Werner accepts 50 per cent pay cut for loan transfer return to RB Leipzig but clubs must agree fee

CHELSEA flop Timo Werner is reportedly willing to accept a 50 per cent pay cut for a loan move back to RB Leipzig – but the clubs still need to thrash out a fee.

The German has never quite found his grove since his £53 million to Stamford Bridge in 2020.

Two years later and he could make a return to Leipzig, who originally sold him to Chelsea.

Reports from Bild suggest the striker could be willing to accept a huge pay cut in order to secure a loan move back to Germany.

Werner reportedly owns £272,000 at the Blues but would be willing to see his wages slashed to get out of the club.

His two seasons in London has seen the 26-year-old striker struggle for form and recently found it difficult to even get regular starts.

After scoring 34 goals in 45 matches in his final season at Leipzig, Werner has failed to come even close to matching that consistency.

Over two seasons at Chelsea, he has only found the net 23 times in 89 games.

While his lack of goals hasn’t lost him too much support among the Blues faithful, his manager appears to be losing patience.

Thomas Tuchel only started Werner in 15 Premier League games last season despite the fitful form of Romelu Lukaku.

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And the former PSG boss didn’t seem particularly pleased with the forward’s comments in pre-season either.

When asked whether he was happy to continue playing at Chelsea, Werner told reporters that he would “be happy everywhere” and stressed he wanted regular football before the World Cup.

Tuchel hit back: “I’m surprised, I would be very happy as a young guy having a contract at Chelsea Football Club.”

The departure of Lukaku could possibly offer more space in the team for Werner, but he will now have to compete with Raheem Sterling after the England winger signed from Manchester City.

Sterling got his first goal for the club in a friendly win over Udinese yesterday.