'Captain' Son Heung-min, 32, has publicly called for the full signing of 'partner' Timo Werner, 28, of Tottenham Hotspur.
"Son has urged Tottenham to sign Werner, who has been on an upward trend in form," the UK's Evening Standard reported. Tottenham could make a £15million ($25.6million) move for him outright this summer," according to the Standard.
Werner joined Tottenham on loan last winter during the transfer window. He was approached by manager Enzi Postecoglou himself. Werner had no choice but to accept, as he had been on the bench at Leipzig. He needed a change if he wanted to return to the German national team and compete at UEFA Euro 2024.
On joining Spurs, Werner says: "The talks I had with Postecoglou were really good, he told me why I should join Spurs, his tactics and style, how he wants to play and how the team is playing now. I realized it was the right team for me," he said.
The move was a perfect match between Werner's desire for playing time and Tottenham's need to find a replacement for Son Heung-min. Spurs needed a new striker option with Son Heung-min away at the 2023 Asian Cup in Qatar, and Werner was an immediate option who could be brought in at no cost.
Werner has been a revelation. He made his debut with an assist against Manchester United, and has two goals and three assists in 11 games. With his quick feet and sharp movement, he has become a new option in the Spurs attack.
Postecoglou has continued to use Werner in his lineup. Werner has also benefited from the absence of an injured Alexis Sanchez. He is competing with Dejan Kulicepski and Brennan Johnson for a spot on the flank. He has also recently started two consecutive league games.
However, there are still problems. Werner is far too indecisive, as he was criticized at Chelsea and Leipzig. Against Luton Town, he dribbled past the defense and created the perfect opportunity, but his poor finishing cost him the goal. He needs to work on his weaknesses if he wants to stay at Tottenham beyond the end of the season.
Tottenham are also reportedly weighing up whether or not to trigger the option to buy Werner outright. Despite the doubters, captain Son Heung-min has given Werner a big boost, showing his "captain's class" by backing him.
"I think Werner listened to what the coach asked him to do. The wingers are very important in the way we approach the game. They stay wide and in the right positions. Werner and Johnson understand each other and are doing a great job," he praised.
But he also called for more effort. "When he first came to Tottenham, Werner was a bit unsure. But now you can see that he is playing with confidence and comfort. 스포츠토토 He missed a few chances, but the goals will come." "Werner is doing well, but as I always say, he is the top scorer in the Bundesliga. We expect him to score more goals and assists for the team. We have a lot of big games ahead of us."
Of course, the choice is up to Tottenham, not Son. "I always want to have good friends and good teammates, but in football you can't guarantee your future and the club will make the decision (to sign him). But Werner will be happy here. That can happen," he said.
For now, Son is hoping to stay with Werner next season. "As a player, I want to help him have better options than he has now, and that's the job of a teammate. We'll see what happens at the end of the season. I want him to stay," he concluded.
In conclusion, Son vowed to get stronger with Postecoglou: "We still have a lot of room to improve. We are still far from the way Coach Postecoglou wants us to play. We will give everything and we can achieve something special under him," he said.
Meanwhile, Werner is also reportedly attracting interest from other Premier League clubs. He has been linked with Fulham and West Ham, as well as Man United, who were also linked with a loan move in January. Werner's experience and versatility are said to be highly valued.