RB Leipzig and Timo Werner are going their separate ways. The 29-year-old is moving to the MLS and San Jose Earthquakes with immediate effect, following in the footsteps of his former national team colleagues Marco Reus and Thomas Müller.
Timo Werner is closing the chapter on RB Leipzig and moving to the San Jose Earthquakes in the USA six months before his contract expires. “Leipzig is more than just a stop on my career for me. I’ve experienced special moments here, played great games and felt unforgettable emotions,” Werner is quoted as saying in a statement from the Saxony club. “Now the time has come to start a new chapter in my career. I would like to thank my teammates, coaches, staff, and above all, the fans.”
No luck in England
Werner joined RB Leipzig in the summer of 2016 and initially enjoyed a brilliant spell in Saxony, scoring an impressive 95 goals in 159 games. In 2020/21, the 57-time German international tried his luck at Chelsea FC, but was unable to establish himself there, despite winning the Champions League with the Blues in 2021. He then returned to Leipzig, where he was unable to build on his previous performances. In 2023/24, he became a reserve player and was subsequently loaned to Tottenham Hotspur for a year and a half, where things didn’t go particularly well either.
He returned in the summer, but no longer had any real prospects in Leipzig. In the current season, the 29-year-old, whose contract expired in the summer, only played 13 minutes for Leipzig. “If he wants playing time, it might be time for a change,” RB managing director Marcel Schäfer had already made clear before Christmas, suggesting that the striker should move on. It was also clear that the Bundesliga club would not stand in the player’s way if he wanted to leave. He has now done so.
“Timo Werner is and remains closely associated with the success story of RB Leipzig. He played a major role in the club’s first outstanding Bundesliga seasons, became a national player here, played in the Champions League for the first time with Leipzig, and later won two national titles. He will probably remain RBL’s record goalscorer for years to come,“ said sporting director Marcel Schäfer, looking back on Werner’s time in Leipzig. ”Despite the difficult situation in recent months, Timo has behaved in an absolutely professional manner. and we have now found a solution that is good for all sides. We wish him all the best in the MLS and the USA, both professionally and personally.”
After a move to Leipzig’s sister club New York Red Bulls did not materialize in the summer, he is now moving to the MLS after all, but not to the East Coast, but to the West Coast and sunny California. Werner, who has signed a contract until June 2028, wants to make a fresh start with the San Jose Earthquakes. The Californians are also longing for better days, having missed the playoffs in each of the past two seasons.
A good place for former German internationals
It’s no secret that MLS can be a good place for former German internationals. Marco Reus celebrated the championship with LA Galaxy in his first season in the US, while Thomas Müller – also in his debut season – finished as runner-up with the Vancouver Whitecaps in the past season. Unlike Reus or Müller, however, Werner is not transferring during the current MLS season, but right at the start, and will therefore be available to coach Bruce Arena at the beginning of the season. For most teams, preseason training in the MLS begins in the next two weeks.