Timo Werner had a ‘positive season at Chelsea and will be bigger and stronger from it’, insists Jerome Boateng – as he warns opponents that Germany striker ‘will show who he really is’ at the forthcoming Euros
- Timo Werner joined Chelsea from RB Leipzig in a £53million deal last summer
- Werner scored 12 times in 52 appearances in all competitions for the Blues
- The misfiring striker did end the season as a Champions League winner though
- The 25-year-old is now preparing to lead Germany’s frontline at the Euros
Jerome Boateng has leapt to the defence of his old Germany team-mate Timo Werner by insisting his debut Chelsea campaign was ‘positive’ and now expects him to flourish on the international stage at the forthcoming Euros this summer.
Werner was expected to plunder in the goals for Chelsea – following his £53million switch from RB Leipzig – as they looked to make an assault on the Premier League title this season.
However, the 25-year-old was more synonymous with being offside than scoring. He only netted 12 times in 52 games for the west London club – a goal-per-game ratio of only one every four games.
Chelsea striker Timo Werner had a ‘positive’ debut campaign at the club, says Jerome Boateng
The 25-year-old has been synonymous with being offside, not scoring goals for Chelsea
Werner’s pace and work rate cannot be questioned but his timing and finishing left a lot to be desired – as highlighted by his goalscoring record.
Despite his inconsistencies in front of goal, Chelsea’s No 11 did pick up silverware as the Blues won the Champions League last month.
Boateng believes Werner will only grow from his first season in England – with Germany set to benefit at the Euros with their star striker now a Champions League winner.
‘Timo has changed country, club, playing in a new league,’ Boateng told BILD. ‘It is not so easy.
Werner ended his debut season at Stamford Bridge as a Champions League winner last month
‘Nonetheless, he scored his goals, provided assists, was present, went through a hollow and came out and now he’s the Champions League winner.
‘For me, it has been a positive season with the usual ups and downs. It makes him bigger and stronger and he learns from it.
‘At the Euros, we will see another Timo Werner, a hungry Timo. A Timo with more arrogance, because he has just won the Champions League.
‘It carries you. He will show who he really is.’
Boateng feels Germany are going to benefit from Werner’s Champions League win at the Euros
Boateng (centre) was an ex-team-mate of Werner within the Germany set-up before his exile