La Liga heavyweights Barcelona and Real Madrid are battling it out for RB Leipzig and Germany striker Timo Werner.
The 21-year old signed for Leipzig from Stuttgart a year ago for a fee of €10 million and was a revelation in his first season with the club. He netted 26 in all competitions last season, including 21 in the Bundesliga, making him the highest-scoring German in the top tier of German football.
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And he was also on fire for Germany as they won the Confederations Cup, with Werner scoring three times and registering two assists, earning the tournament's Golden Boot in the process.
Liverpool were seriously interested in signing Werner, along with his teammate Naby Keita, this summer, but were unsuccessful in their attempts.
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And though their interest remains in the free-scoring striker, who has notched six goals in nine games in all competitions this season, it seems like they have some stiff competition.
As per Mundo Deportivo, both Barca and Real are keen on Werner and see him as someone who could bring an added goal threat to their respective sides. Barca's second-choice striker Paco Alcacer has largely struggled when called upon, while Zinedine Zidane didn't replace Alvaro Morata after the Spaniard joined Chelsea.
The report says that the Blaugrana's sporting director Robert Fernandez has been tracking Werner for a while and has scouted him extensively this season.
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The former Stuttgart man does not have a mammoth release clause in his current, which is somewhat convenient to potential suitors. His contract at Leipzig lasts until 2020 and though he is perfectly happy at the club, he has expressed interest in joining a bigger club in the future.
As quoted by BILD, via, Goal, he said:
"Of course I want to play at a big club. But we have not yet come to terms with the development in Leipzig. Perhaps RB will be a big club too - I'm quite sure.
"In Spain, there are a maximum of three clubs with Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid. In England, there are a bit more: Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham, Liverpool, Manchester United and Manchester City. Bayern Munich is also a big club, but for me it is not a topic that I am concerned with."
Topics: Football, Timo Werner, RB Leipzig