Timo Werner Chelsea 2021-22Getty Images

Werner rescues Chelsea at Luton but frustrated forward could follow Abramovich out of Stamford Bridge

For a long time during Tuesday night's FA Cup clash with Luton, Timo Werner looked as stunned as many of his Chelsea team-mates by the news that Roman Abramovich is going to sell the club.

The announcement came just an hour before kick-off at Kenilworth Road and it seemed as if one shock exit was going to be quickly followed by another, as first-half goals from Reece Burke and Harry Cornick gave the hosts a 2-1 half-time lead over the reigning European and world champions.

However, Werner turned the fifth-round tie on its head after the break, latching onto Ruben Loftus-Cheek's long ball to net his first goal in eight games before teeing up Romelu Lukaku for a late winner.

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"Timo played very well," Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel told reporters after the game. "I am happy about that and the fact that Romelu got his goal. That is why we left them on the pitch.

"These matches are, at the moment, the most important matches for them, even if they think they should have played this match or that match."

It was certainly an important outing for Werner. The 25-year-old has been afforded fewer minutes than any of Chelsea's other senior attacking players this season, so this was a rare chance to shine.

For much of the match, he really struggled to make an impact, but his goal changed everything.

"I am happy that I made my goal and an assist," he told BBC Sport afterwards. "I tried to help the team as much as I could to win the game and this is what we did today."

Whether his second-half showing could also prove a turning point in his Chelsea career remains to be seen.

The £47.5 million signing from RB Leipzig has become increasingly frustrated with his lack of game time and has been considering his options ahead of the summer transfer window.

Werner's representatives are due to meet with Chelsea officials in the coming weeks to better understand Tuchel's plans for their client before deciding on their next move.

If those talks don't end well, the forward might seriously consider a move to Borussia Dortmund, who are keen on bringing Werner back to Germany, which would certainly appeal to a player that GOAL understands has struggled to settle in London.

Of course, Werner's weekly wage of £250,000 ($335,000) could prove problematic, given it's highly unlikely that Dortmund would be willing to match such a salary.

Any deal could hinge on Dortmund's ongoing pursuit of Karim Adeyemi.

If their talks with RB Salzburg collapse, a move for Werner becomes far more likely but the transfer might require Chelsea to pay a portion of his wages if the attacker refuses to take a significant pay cut. 

So, even though Werner proved decisive at Luton, there remains a major question mark over his future at Stamford Bridge.

After all, in 76 appearances for Chelsea, he has still only contributed 19 goals and 18 assists. 

Those figures justify Tuchel's refusal to pick him on a regular basis.

Werner was one of Abramovich's last big-money signings and there is still a chance that he could soon follow the Russian out of the exit door.

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