Few would have predicted during the first-half of the season that Timo Werner would end up signing for Tottenham Hotspur during the January transfer window.
Spurs put many of their rivals to shame with their business in the winter, catching many off-guard with the move to bring Timo Werner back to the Premier League.
The German had a difficult time at Chelsea, and had hardly set the world alight back with RB Leipzig, but Tottenham clearly felt that that presented a good opportunity to sign the 28-year-old on an initial loan deal.
The Times reports Spurs have the option to sign Werner permanently this summer for around £14 million, but will explore deals for other attacking targets before deciding whether they plan to keep Werner.
Tottenham to explore other deals before deciding on Timo Werner
There was a stage when it appeared a formality that the forward would end up signing for Ange Postecoglou’s side permanently.
Werner had scored two goals and provided two assists in his first seven Premier League appearances for Spurs.
Few ever expected Werner to be a game-changer for Tottenham following his move, but his positive start to his loan hinted that a £14 million deal could prove to be a bargain.
However, Werner’s form more recently has been much more underwhelming, and Werner has even been labelled, technically, one of the worst players in the Premier League.
Spurs must prioritise a world-class striker this summer
It is hard to have too much criticism of Tottenham if they do decide to keep Werner. In today’s game, £14 million is really not a lot to spend when you consider the problems that he can cause with his pace.
But Spurs are well-stocked for options in the forward line, so it makes much more sense to target a natural striker over the coming months.
And if signing Werner permanently limits which strikers they can bring in, then there has to be a real question mark over whether Tottenham would be a lot better off looking elsewhere.
Werner is a decent performer, but it says a lot that there is a debate to be had over whether Tottenham should spend £14 million to keep him.