RB Leipzig chief executive Oliver Mintzlaff says that the Bundesliga side will sell Timo Werner this summer if the right bid comes along. The striker has less than twelve months left on his contract at the German club, but with the end of the transfer window fast approaching, no club has made an official bid.

Mintzlaff revealed that they have had contact from clubs abroad but it appears no transfer appears to be imminent. He told Sport Bild:

“If Timo does not renew then we would like to sell him. There are many interested parties. Also, top international clubs have approached us.”

Werner has been heavily linked with a move to Liverpool over the past year, and with the 23-year-old now well inside the final year of his contract, it is surprising the Reds have not made a move for the player.

As a German international with 10 goals from 25 caps for his country, manager Jurgen Klopp will surely be aware of his availability but so far, there has been no indication that Liverpool will make an offer.

With Daniel Sturridge having left the club, the frontline does lack depth. Xherdan Shaqiri can cover for Mo Salah on the right-hand side while Divock Origi can take some of the load off Roberto Firmino.

However, for Sadio Mane, there are few options to give the Senegalese international a rest. The forward will return from his holidays on Monday, despite only having two and a half weeks off since he played in the final of the African Cup of Nations.

There are serious concerns that that 27-year-old will suffer burn out. With that being the case, surely Werner would be considered? He does generally play through the middle but he is capable of playing narrow and cutting in from the left flank.

Klopp may be hesitant of blocking Rhian Brewster’s pathway to the first team, and that’s understandable, but even so, the 19-year-old will likely be Firmino’s main understudy rather than Mane’s.

Werner could take some of the workload off the Senegalese star if he were to arrive this summer. He won’t be hugely expensive due to his contract situation and would play a decent number of games.

There is a chance that the German has already agreed a move elsewhere. Bayern Munich have been notorious in recent years for snapping up high profile players on free transfers.

Klopp was a victim of that transfer strategy when Robert Lewandowski controversially switched to the Allianz Arena from Dortmund.

If we discount that from the equation, though, you have to think that a move for Werner before deadline day would be a sensible choice. In January, any club in the world can agree a pre-contract agreement with the player. If the Reds get him now, they could add a potent attacking weapon to their arsenal.