Timo Werner has suggested he is open to leaving this summer in pursuit of greater first-team opportunities.
The former RB Leipzig star has struggled to live up to expectation following his £47million arrival at Stamford Bridge in 2022.
The Germany international started just 15 Premier League games under last season with the arrival of Raheem Sterling in west to pose another threat to his first-team prospects.
Werner was briefly linked with a move to as part of Chelsea’s attempts to sign Matthijs de Ligtt, a deal now dead in the water with the Netherlands international set to join Bayern Munich.
While the 26-year-old is happy at Chelsea, he admits he may have to consider a change in order to ensure he is part of Germany’s plans for this winter’s World Cup.
‘First of all, the most important thing is that I am happy,’ Werner said.
‘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.’
‘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.
‘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 Werner is determined to fight for his place and insists the arrival of Sterling has not changed much having battled Romelu Lukaku for a starting role last season.
‘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.’
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