Dimitar Berbatov reveals why Tottenham beating Man Utd to ‘great’ signing Timo Werner could be a masterstroke
Timo Werner is poised to join Spurs on loan for the rest of the season.
Legendary Premier League striker Dimitar Berbatov admits he was ‘surprised’ by Tottenham’s move to sign Timo Werner but has revealed why the German could end up being a ‘great’ signing.
The former Chelsea frontman joined Spurs on loan for the remainder of the season earlier this week, with the transfer having an option to buy for around £15million attached.
The 27-year-old spent two seasons at Stamford Bridge and scored 29 goals in 83 appearances for the Blues, although his time in west London was largely considered underwhelming.
Werner was often criticised for missing easy chances and straying offside too often, but he did play a major role in the club’s Champions League triumph.
Tottenham opted to move for Werner, who was also heavily linked with United, as skipper Son-Heing min is away with South Korea at the Asia Cup and may not return until next month.
His ability to play across all three positions in Ange Postecoglou’s frontline also made the Leipzig man a no-brainer of a deal, given that Werner is desperate to still prove his worth in the hope of winning his place back in the Germany squad for Euro 2024.
And Berbatov is sure that the attacker can prove his doubters wrong, as long as his erratic finishing improves.
“I think it’s a surprise signing, I did not expect it to be honest,” Betfair Ambassador Berbatov told Metro.co.uk.
“It’s a move that the club was working on way before the transfer window. Now he’s back in England two things can happen; either he’s going to show everybody ‘I’m back and I’m better than before’ or it’s not going to work out.
“Let’s hope for the good of the team that Timo is going to be a better player than he was at Chelsea and especially better in front of the goal because he was getting into goalscoring opportunities but the last touch in front of goal was what he lacked before. If he improves on that then he’ll be great for the team.”
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Werner perfectly suited to ‘Ange-Ball’
Spurs’ high-octane style of play under Postecoglou has improved the team significantly, with only Manchester City, Aston Villa and Liverpool scoring more goals in the Premier League this season.
And Berbatov believes Werner’s habit of constantly looking to run in behind could end up being perfect for the likes of James Maddison, when he returns from injury.
“That run in behind the defender is a great weapon to have, trust me,” said Berbatov.
“If you are clever enough and you have the speed, because you can have the speed but be stupid and you don’t know what to do. You have to be quick, fast and clever to know where to explore the space behind the defenders and to recognise where the space is.
“He has other players in the team that can give him the ball so then hopefully he can score and give assists. I think he’s a really great signing for the team and also that he’s not [signed] on the last day of the window. Let’s hope he’s fit and ready to go straight into the team.”
Werner looks set to show United what they potentially missed out on when he makes his Tottenham debut in Sunday’s Premier League tussle at Old Trafford.
