Tuchel 'surprised' by Werner's hint that he could seek a move away from Chelsea
Thomas Tuchel has warned Timo Werner that he should be grateful playing for Chelsea and has urged his unhappy striker to do his talking on the pitch rather than off it.
Speaking on Monday, Werner dropped a heavy hint that his future may lie away from the Blues, stating he could be happy elsewhere.
The German striker, who has failed to fulfil his potential following a £47.5million move from RB Leipzig in 2020, has been linked with a transfer from Stamford Bridge during the current transfer window - and the arrival of fellow forward Raheem Sterling has done little to silence the rumours.
Quizzed about his happiness at Chelsea, Werner said he 'could be happy everywhere'.
And speaking on Wednesday night, Tuchel expressed his dismay at those comments from his forward.
'I'm surprised, I would be very happy as a young guy having a contract at Chelsea football club. I would be one of the happiest people on the planet,' he said after Chelsea's pre-season penalty shooutout defeat at Charlotte.
'He needs to get his game time. He has to show quality, take your place and defend your place.
'I would be one of the happiest people on the planet having a contract with Chelsea. If he said this, I do not understand.'
Werner missed the defeat by Charlotte due to a hamstring injury, but Tuchel insists he is part of his plans this upcoming season: 'Sure, he is our player, sure,' he said.
As detailed by Sportsmail, Werner had been discussed as part of a bid for Juventus defender Matthijs de Light and his future in west London is in doubt.
However, his £270,000-a-week wages may be a stumbling block to any suitors.
The 26-year-old scored the club's first goal post-Roman Abramovich but later said he had not held talks with manager Thomas Tuchel over where he stands.
'It is hard to say,' he said on Monday when asked if clear-the-air talks were needed.
'First of all, the most important thing is that I am happy. I am happy when I play and score goals. That's the fact. That's what I should take care of and the other things will come.'
When quizzed over whether could find that happiness at Chelsea he responded sharply: 'I could be happy everywhere.' Big things were expected of Werner, who has 53 caps for his native Germany.
However, he scored just 10 Premier League goals in two years and played in 21 top flight fixtures last season and is unaware of why he has struggled for game time under his compatriot.
'It is hard to say,' he said. 'I didn't ask but I think of course the manager always has different ideas, different thoughts and what you need in different games, I think in many games I was not in his thoughts so I try to change that.'
With a mid-season World Cup on the horizon Werner, who will face competition for his place in the Germany squad, admitted he needs more minutes on the field.
'It is clear I want to play more and I should play more to first be in good shape for the World Cup and also, to have a chance to play at the World Cup,' he said.
'I think it doesn't change anything whether it is a winter world cup or in the summer. I think if I play half or the season or the whole season, I should play.' For now, however, Werner is focusing on Chelsea and the renewed competition caused by Sterling's £47.5m arrival from City.
'It's not different to last season,' he said. 'I think it was the same when Romelu (Lukaku) came here that we have big, big competition up front. It is still the same. At a big club like Chelsea you have that competition.
'In pre-season you can show that you want to play that you are a guy who wants to be in the starting XI. That's what I try.'
Werner will be hoping to make an impact on Saturday when the Blues face Arsenal in Orlando in their final pre-season game in the the United States.
Henry
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