Nagelsmann: I would tell Werner to leave if he was developing faster than RB Leipzig

RB Leipzig boss Julian Nagelsmann has said that he would instruct striker Timo Werner to leave the club if he felt it was in the best interests of the player.

The 23-year-old joined Leipzig from Stuttgart in the summer of 2016 and has since established himself as one of the deadliest players in the Bundesliga.

He has especially caught the eye at the beginning of the current campaign, having scored 15 times in 17 matches, including 11 in 11 Bundesliga outings. 

Before the international break, he was in sparkling form with the club, scoring three and creating three more in an 8-0 thumping of Mainz before following that up with two more strikes and another decisive pass as Hertha were dismissed 4-2 away from home.

Such form has led to speculation he could be in line for a big move, with Premier League outfit Liverpool closely associated with a deal for him along with long-time suitors Bayern Munich.

But Nagelsmann does not feel that the time is right for the attacker, who is signed to the club until 2023, to depart.

“I’ve already advised many players to take off their wedding ring with their current club to move somewhere else,” he told Sport Bild. “I’d do the same with Timo Werner if he were developing faster than the team at RB Leipzig.”

Furthermore, the coach pinpointed the development in the Germany international’s game that has elevated him to a new level since the summer.

“He’s improved his combination play,” he said. “He’s often parked on the left-wing and can create moments of change. Now he moves between spaces and is harder to figure out.”

With 11 goals under his belt already, he is on course to surpass his best league season to date – the 2016-17 campaign, in which he netted 21 times as Leipzig finished as runners up to Bayern Munich.

Currently, they are second in the Bundesliga, four points behind leaders Borussia Monchengladbach, but joint-top scorers in the league, having scored 29 times in 11 matches.

After the international break, their first assignment is a home match against second-bottom Koln.