Chelsea agree £50m transfer for Timo Werner with Leipzig striker set to join on five-year, £175k-a-week deal

CHELSEA have agreed a £50million deal for RB Leipzig star Timo Werner.

The striker looks set to sign a five-year contract after Frank Lampard made it clear he is ready to meet the German’s release clause.

Werner will pocket around £175,000-a-week, making him one of Chelsea’s top earners.

But there is still the danger of Liverpool making a last-gasp bid.

Lampard’s men have already signed Hakim Ziyech from Ajax in a £37m deal.

And the presence of Werner up front could give Chelsea the extra edge they need in pursuit of a sixth Premier League title.

The highly-rated forward, 24, has scored 31 goals in all competitions this season, taking his total Leipzig tally to 92 in just four seasons.

Liverpool were hoping to sign Werner despite already boasting Mo Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino in attack.

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Manchester United had also been linked before extending Odion Ighalo’s loan until next year.

And Chelsea were thought to instead be eyeing a shock swoop for Arsenal contract rebel Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

But it will be Werner challenging Tammy Abraham and Olivier Giroud at Stamford Bridge next season.

Indeed, Leipzig boss Julian Nagelsmann recently admitted there was no chance of keeping Werner at the club this summer.

He said: “There is nothing we can do about it. He knows what he has in Leipzig and also what he has with me.

“I show him that – he gets many chances to develop himself.

“I don’t know if it will help him that much if I tell him every day.

“A player has to feel that he can get better. If he doesn’t feel that, it wouldn’t do any good if I kept on telling him to stay here.

“In the end, it is his life, his career, he can decide that. I can’t think of anything new to say to Timo.”