Arsenal legend Thierry Henry claims Timo Werner struggled at Chelsea because he was lacking confidence and didn’t ‘feel the love’ at Stamford Bridge.
Werner scored 23 goals in 89 matches across two seasons at Chelsea after a £50m transfer move from RB Leipzig in 2020.
While the German star won the UEFA Champions League and reached three Wembley finals during his spell in west London, he was often criticised for a lack of end product.
Last summer, Chelsea agreed to sell Werner for almost half the amount they paid to sign him, with the 26-year-old returning to RB Leipzig on a four-year deal.
Werner has picked up from where he left off in the Bundesliga, scoring seven goals in 13 games this campaign, including the opener in Tuesday’s Champions League victory over Celtic.
Former striker Henry discussed Werner’s resurgence after the match and said it is clear he feels more comfortable and confident in a RB Leipzig Jersey.
He said on CBS Sports: ‘I will call it confidence. You have players who don’t care if you put your arm around them. They will come, execute and leave.
- Cristiano Ronaldo accepts FA charge after Erik ten Hag said he would not
- Chelsea handed major Reece James boost after injury fears
- Arteta responds to Aubameyang’s brutal jab at him in leaked clip
‘Then you have some players that need to feel the love. They need to feel maybe that they are going to play for 90 minutes. The best example is the second goal.
‘First and foremost on the first control, Timo Werner would never have put that ball down at Chelsea, and then he would never have seen [Emil] Forsberg.
‘He would have rushed it trying to do something, overthinking it and overdoing it. I saw it before, he was calm before and he is calm again.
‘Maybe he would have shot [when he brought the ball down] because people said he can’t score at Chelsea – it gives you confidence when you score again. Then I see him pass it with his left foot at the right time.
‘Sometimes you go to some places, they don’t show you that love, I’m not saying he didn’t have it, but if he didn’t feel it like he felt it at Leipzig, then you aren’t going to be at your best and you won’t take the right decision.’
After leaving Chelsea last summer, Werner thanked the Blues supporters for their support through ‘challenging times’.
‘Dear Blues, today marks the end of my journey with Chelsea FC,’ he posted on social media.
‘I am incredibly grateful for the time I spent at this special club. At this point I would like to express my appreciation for my teammates, the coaches and staff, and especially for you, the supporters of Chelsea Football Club.
‘I felt so much love and support throughout the last two years and I will never forget how you guys stood behind me in good and in challenging times!
‘We lifted trophies like the Champions League together and I will always remember the song you wrote and chanted for me. I’m already looking forward to hopefully playing at Stamford Bridge again one day!’
