Liverpool have missed out on the ‘modern day Michael Owen’ with Timo Werner set to join Premier League rivals Chelsea instead, Martin Keown has told Jim White on talkSPORT (5 June, 10.20am).
In a twist that not even Derren Brown saw coming, one of the most prolific goalscorers in European football looks set to slip through Jurgen Klopp’s net.
A matter of days after the Champions League winning manager told Liverpool’s board that Werner would be the ‘perfect’ summer signing (Guardian), a jet-heeled Germany international is packing his bags and heading for West London.
Chelsea look to have snatched a man who has made no secret of his desire to don the famous red shirt of Liverpool, triggering the £53 million release clause in his contract (Telegraph).
And though Liverpool are not exactly lacking world-class attackers of their own, with Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Mo Salah perhaps the most exhilarating front three in the game, Keown feels this might be one Klopp and co look back on with regret.
“Is he the modern day Michael Owen, with the way that he tries to find that space in behind the defender?” Keown mused. “This would be a real message sent out by Chelsea about how serious they are about taking that club forward.
“You wouldn’t want to be playing against him. He’s deadly in front of goal, an emphatic finisher and he’s got pace to burn.
“Liverpool would definitely have wanted him, even with the riches they’ve got at the front of their team.”
For all of Firmino’s qualities, the brilliant Brazilian is not exactly a natural goalscorer a la Werner or Liverpool legend Owen.
Firmino has found the back of the net just 11 times in 43 matches this season and went nearly a year without scoring at Anfield until very recently.
Werner, with his rapid pace and lethal finishing skills one-on-one, could have given Klopp something completely different through the middle.
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