'Certainly not an easy person' - Timo Werner has been a 'problem' for every coach he's had as RB Leipzig chief gives blunt assessment of outcast striker

Werner finds himself completely frozen out of the first-team picture this season. The striker, who remains the club's all-time leading goalscorer, has failed to secure any significant minutes in the current campaign, leading to intense speculation regarding his future. Amidst this backdrop, Oliver Mintzlaff, the CEO of Corporate Projects and Investments at Red Bull, has offered a candid insight into the player's personality and his standing within the club.

Speaking to the Leipziger Volkszeitung, Mintzlaff addressed the awkward situation surrounding the 29-year-old. While expressing sympathy for Werner's lack of game time, the club chief conceded that the forward requires a specific type of management that can be taxing for the coaching staff. He admitted that even the managers who extracted the best football from Werner found him difficult to handle at times.

"I have a special, close, and good relationship with Timo Werner. Therefore, I'm probably not entirely objective," Mintzlaff stated. "I would have thought there might have been a way to give him a few minutes, especially since he had a decent preseason. But that's the coach's decision, that's what performance decides.

"Timo Werner is certainly not an easy person, undoubtedly not an easy character, but an extremely fine guy to whom we owe a great deal. Every coach has had his problems with Timo Werner, whether Ralf Rangnick or Julian Nagelsmann, but they've all played him."

While Rangnick and Nagelsmann navigated the complexities of Timo Werner's character to unlock his prolific goal-scoring ability, current head coach Ole Werner has seemingly decided that the output no longer justifies the effort. Since taking charge in the summer, the new manager has been ruthless in his team selection, leaving the club legend watching from the sidelines.

The 2025-26 campaign has been particularly brutal for the former Chelsea forward. Despite being fit and available, he has played just one minute of competitive football this term, watching on as Leipzig compete in the Bundesliga and the Champions League. The "decent preseason" alluded to by Mintzlaff has not translated into competitive opportunities, signalling a complete breakdown in trust between the player and the current technical staff. It is a far cry from his first spell at the club, where his electric pace and finishing made him one of the most feared attackers in European football.

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Werner's isolation has inevitably led to him seeking an exit route, a process that began in earnest during the summer transfer window. It has been reported that the striker is keen to leave European football behind for a fresh start in the United States. However, a potential move to Major League Soccer (MLS) collapsed in the summer, leaving him in limbo in Saxony.

According to recent reports, Werner turned down a concrete approach from the New York Red Bulls. The rejection was reportedly due to the salary on offer, with the German on a healthy package in Leipzig. Instead, the striker has set his sights on a glamorous switch to Inter Miami.

Werner is reportedly enamoured with the idea of partnering Lionel Messi in Florida. The prospect of linking up with the Argentine legend and fellow former Barcelona star Luis Suarez appeals to Werner as the ideal environment to rediscover his love for the game. However, facilitating such a move is complex given the MLS salary cap regulations and Inter Miami's star-studded roster.

For now, Werner remains an RB Leipzig player, albeit in name only on matchdays. His contract runs until the summer of 2026, presenting a financial headache for the Bundesliga club who are paying significant wages to a player who is not contributing on the pitch. Mintzlaff's comments highlight the respect the hierarchy still holds for Werner's past achievements, but they also underscore the reality that his time at the top level with Leipzig appears to be over.

With the January transfer window approaching, all parties will be eager to find a resolution. Whether Inter Miami can make the finances work, or if Werner will have to lower his sights to another MLS franchise or a different European club, remains to be seen. Until then, the "not easy character" must continue to train, waiting for an opportunity that Ole Werner seems unwilling to grant.