Former Chelsea striker Tony Cascarino has warned Timo Werner that he is running out of time to save his Blues career after his latest struggles in the recent draw with Premier League rivals Manchester United.
Germany international Werner attracted criticism from Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Roy Keane and Alan Shearer following Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge.
Hasselbaink called Werner’s performance ‘poor’ and said he ‘keeps missing big chances’, while Shearer claimed he is ‘not a natural goalscorer’ after he wasted two opportunities.
Much was expected of Werner following his £47.5m move from RB Leipzig in 2020 but wayward finishing has been a common theme in his Chelsea career to date.
That being said, the 25-year-old did help Thomas Tuchel’s side win the Champions League, reach the FA Cup final and secure a top-four finish last season, with his work off the ball praised by many pundits and Chelsea’s manager.
But Cascarino says Werner remains a ‘problem’ for Chelsea and has tipped his former club to sign a replacement for the forward unless he improves quickly.
‘Chelsea should have put Manchester United away but they have a problem in Timo Werner, whose touch just isn’t top level, and whose finishing is worse,’ Cascarino told The Times.
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‘I think managers should stick by strikers but the truth is that it is less likely to happen at the big clubs like Chelsea.
‘Once they have decided Werner isn’t good enough, they have the money to buy a replacement. I wonder if they will soon get to that point with him.
‘At the moment I don’t see him having even the impact that Fernando Torres did at Chelsea, and that was a real disappointment at the time.’
While Cascarino fears for Werner, he has been encouraged by Ruben Loftus-Cheek’s recent performances, with the England international beginning to cement a place in Tuchel’s side.
‘Ruben Loftus-Cheek is starting to look a good player for them but my main concern for him is that he needs to start adding assists and goals,’ Cascarino added.
‘He does a lot right, and looks in control, but he’s at an age, 25, where the statistics have to back that up.’
Despite being held to a 1-1 draw by Michael Carrick’s Manchester United, Chelsea remain top of the Premier League ahead of Wednesday’s trip to Watford.
MORE : Michael Owen believes Chelsea have a weaker starting XI than Manchester City and Liverpool
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