Cape Town - Striker Timo Werner has reportedly said he would only consider leaving RB Leipzig for a club like "Barcelona, Liverpool or Real Madrid".
Germany international Werner joined Leipzig in June 2016 from Stuttgart for a club-record €10 million and three months later he became the youngest player to feature in 100 Bundesliga matches at the age of 20 years and 203 days, bettering the record previously held by Julian Draxler by 22 days.
The 23-year-old striker has scored 52 goals from 95 league matches during his time at the Red Bull Arena but there were doubts about his long-term future at the club with his previous contract due to expire in the summer of 2020.
Spanish giants Real Madrid were said to be keen on securing his services before instead deciding to splash a reported 60m euros on Eintracht Frankfurt's Luka Jovic, who scored 25 Bundesliga goals during his two-year spell at Commerzbank-Arena.
Leipzig were able to persuade Werner to sign a new contract until 2023 although there is a €30 million release clause in the deal, making him an attractive price for any of Europe's big boys.
Despite committing his future to the German outfit, the striker, who has bagged 10 goals in 25 games for his country, is claimed to have said he "would only leave Germany for a club like Barcelona, Liverpool or Real Madrid".
Werner's comments will come as a slight concern to Die Roten Bullen but the Reds, along with Los Blancos and the Catalans, will be boosted by the news if they ever decide to make a move.
European champions Liverpool, who beat Tottenham Hotspur in the 2018/19 final, have been linked with the striker before and Jurgen Klopp could decide to renew his interest either in January or next summer.
In terms of departures at Anfield, Croatia international Dejan Lovren's future continues to be up in the air despite reports stating the Merseyside outfit are keen to keep hold of him.
The 30-year-old defender has been tipped to join Roma all summer and claims from Italy suggest a deal could still be agreed, with the Giallorossi preparing a new offer.
Serie A clubs have under September 2 to sign players and Paulo Fonseca is keen to acquire another centre-back following Kostas Manolas' move to Napoli earlier in the window.
It is thought Roma are pushing for a loan option with a view to buying Lovren at the end of the season, but Liverpool are only willing to entertain a permanent sale.
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