Timo Werner's Shirt Number Confirmed at Tottenham as Chelsea Flop Finalizes Transfer

Tottenham has officially announced the signing of Timo Werner on loan from RB Leipzig, marking their first acquisition in the January transfer window. The former Chelsea player will don the No.16 shirt for the club. Werner has agreed to an initial six-month deal, which provides the option to make the transfer permanent at the end of the season. Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou approved the signing, especially with captain Son Heung-min's absence due to his participation in the Asian Cup for South Korea, where he is expected to be away for the next month.

Timo Werner's return to the Premier League with Tottenham comes with a sense of unfinished business, as he looks to make a stronger impact than his previous stint at Chelsea. During his time at Chelsea, Werner scored 23 goals in 89 appearances following his £54 million transfer. Notably, he played a significant role in the club's Champions League triumph in 2021.

After leaving Chelsea two years ago, Werner rejoined his former club RB Leipzig in a £25 million move. Although he found the net 16 times last season, his playing opportunities have been limited under manager Marco Rose this season, with only four starts in all competitions. However, Werner is now poised to make his debut for Tottenham in their upcoming away fixture against Manchester United this weekend.

Willkommen, Timo! 

We're delighted to announce the loan signing of Timo Werner, subject to international clearance 

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) January 9, 2024

Despite Timo Werner's inconsistent record in recent seasons, his versatility will provide Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou with more attacking options. The former Stuttgart forward is capable of playing in a central role or on either wing, adding flexibility to the team's attacking strategy.

However, prior to the confirmation of the transfer, Graeme Souness criticized the signing and referred to Werner as a "stocking filler." Souness expressed doubts about Werner's goal-scoring ability, stating that he needs multiple opportunities to find the back of the net. Souness also highlighted Werner's struggles to score goals, referencing his return of two goals in eight Bundesliga appearances for Leipzig this season.

Nevertheless, Souness acknowledged that Werner's pace and positioning could still provide him with three or four chances per game, despite his perceived struggles in front of goal.

"He’s a player who one year could get 30 goals, and the next five or six, so he could have the most incredible purple patch and then Spurs will have to sign him.“[ Liverpool forward Darwin] Nunez falls into that category where he needs too many chances to score a goal, but that may change as he’s a young man. Werner, I don’t see that changing, but he could have a purple patch.”

In addition to signing Timo Werner, Tottenham is actively pursuing the acquisition of Radu Dragusin from Genoa. Talks between Spurs and the Serie A club have intensified in recent days, but they face competition from Bayern Munich in their bid to secure a deal for the Romanian center-back before their upcoming match against Manchester United on Sunday.

As part of the negotiations, there is a possibility that Djed Spence, a Tottenham player, could move in the opposite direction. Spence has been offered to Genoa on a six-month loan deal, potentially as part of the agreement for Dragusin's transfer.