Chelsea To Use Struggling Timo Werner In A Swap Deal To Sign $90M Target: Report

Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel could reportedly use struggling Timo Werner in a swap deal to sign one of their top targets ahead of the summer transfer window.

After failing to adjust to the demands of the Premier League, Werner could be sent back to Bundesliga. Chelsea are planning to use him as a part of the deal to land Borussia Dortmund's Erling Haaland at Stanford Bridge, soccer website Football Insider reported.

Chelsea matched Werner's release clause of $65 million and signed him from RB Leipzig on a five-year contract ahead of the ongoing season. He has not lived up to the expectations as he has managed only 10 goals in as many as 39 competitive games. Earlier this campaign, he went two months straight without scoring a goal for the Blues. The Germany international has scored just one Premier League goal since November – in the 2-0 win over Newcastle on Feb. 15.

The Premier League side is also looking at Inter Milan's Romelu Lukaku, but the Belgian forward is only an alternative to Haaland, Teamtalk reported. The 20-year-old Norwegian has netted 33 goals in 31 games and overall, Haaland has scored 49 goals in as many matches for Dortmund since his arrival from RB Salzburg during the 2020 January transfer window.

It has been reported that Haaland, who is expected to become a star in the future, is being chased by several top European clubs such as FC Barcelona, Liverpool and Manchester United. Haaland, who is contracted with Dortmund until 2024, has a release clause of around $90 million at the German club.

However, Werner is not interested in returning to Bundesliga, according to German publication BILD's journalist Christian Falk, who cites a credible record in the transfer market.

Tuchel, who replaced Frank Lampard as Chelsea's manager in the middle of the 2020-21 campaign, has turned down the rumors about the 25-year-old's possible departure from the club.

Speaking before Chelsea's round of 16 clash against Atletico Madrid earlier this month, Tuchel said, "He did not score [in previous games] okay, this sticks in a situation like this, this can affect his self-confidence. But what does it help? The clear advice from us don’t focus on the result, focus on the process. Get your decision-making right, get your technique right, take good decisions, for the decision take the right technique and the ball will do the rest, and the opponent’s goalkeeper will do the rest, either it’s in or he does an amazing save. He can improve from there but there’s simply no time to reflect on what’s going to be in the summer or next year. There’s simply no time."