Report: Atletico Madrid Eyeing RB Leipzig Star Timo Werner
Atletico Madrid have reportedly entered the race for RB Leipzig hotshot Timo Werner, according to reports in Germany.
Bild has claimed that Los Rojiblancos sent scouts to watch the striker in action last weekend amid supposed desires to lure Werner to La Liga.
Werner is being lined up as a prime target to replace Antoine Griezmann, if the France international decides to leave and join Barcelona in the summer, and Atleti scouts are believed to have watched Werner in action against Augsburg last Saturday.
Werner is a man in demand thanks to his predatory abilities in front of goal, with Bayern Munich and Liverpool also among those supposedly expressing interest in the 21-year-old over the past 12 months.
Atletico and the above duo could face serious competition for Werner, however, with city rivals Real Madrid (via Goal) also apparently running the rule over the Germany international.
To further complicate matters for Diego Simeone's side, Leipzig are desperate to tie Werner down to a new long-term contract to prevent him from leaving his homeland on the cheap.
Leipzig sporting director Ralf Rangnick was quoted by ESPN as he explained why his club would do everything in their power to hold on their talismanic attacker.
He said: "Timo knows in any case that he right now, and also the next season, plays for us. We are already in talks to adjust and extend his contract."
Werner has plundered 35 goals in just 60 matches for Leipzig since he joined them from fellow Bundesliga club Stuttgart in the summer of 2016.
The 10-times capped German international has a ratio of one goal every two games for Die Bullen this term, but has gone three clashes without registering a goal in Germany's top flight in recent times.
Werner is contracted to Leipzig until June 2020 but, with the amount of interest in his services growing, his team would do well to hand him fresh terms to give themselves a firmer stance from which to refuse bids or demand more in the way of cash if they elect to sell.
