RB Leipzig Boss Confirms Timo Werner Will 'Definitely' Stay Until at Least 2020
RB Leipzig sporting director Ralf Rangnick has confirmed that star striker Timo Werner will "definitely" stay at the club until at least 2020.
These comments have just days after stories broke in Spain that Real Madrid were interested in signing the Germany international this summer, linking the interest from Los Blancos with Werner's omission from Leipzig's matchday squad against Viktoria Köln on Sunday.
It was suggested that Werner was one of three players that Real Madrid boss Julen Lopetegui has shortlisted to replace Karim Benzema, with Inter star Mauro Icardi and Valencia's Rodrigo Moreno rounding off the club's transfer targets.
However, sporting director Ragnick, who will act as RB Leipzig's manager this season following the departure of Ralph Hasenhüttl, has confirmed that Werner is eager to stay at the club and work under their soon-to-be head coach Julian Nagelsmann.
"For us, that is not an issue at all," Ragnick told Sky Germany (via BuliNews) about Real Madrid's interest in Werner this summer. "Timo has made it clear to us both internally and in various interviews that he will definitely be playing for us next year.
"In addition to that, he has said that he wants to play for at least another year under Julian Nagelsmann (during the 2019/20 season)."
RB Leipzig have already seen star midfielder Naby Keïta leave the club in favor of a move abroad. The 23-year-old finalized a big-money move to Liverpool this summer, becoming the first high profile player to ditch life at the Red Bull Arena during the club's nine-year history.
But it looks increasingly likely that Werner, who is entering his third season in Leipzig after arriving from Stuttgart, will remain part of the fabric in eastern Saxony for at least another two years, with it even being suggested a new contract could be tabled for the striker at some point this year.
