The New York Red Bulls have not given Timo Werner a deadline to make a decision on potentially signing with the MLS club, a source with knowledge of the situation told amNewYork on Thursday.
German outlet Sport Bild first reported on Wednesday that New York was giving the 29-year-old German striker an Aug. 21 deadline, which coincides with the final day of the MLS transfer window. That, however, is not the case. If necessary, talks could potentially continue, and Werner could make the move to New York in the next transfer window following the 2025 season.
Werner currently has one year and approximately $11.6 million left on his deal with German Bundesliga side Red Bull Leipzig, one of the sister clubs of New York. But given his monumental struggles upon his return from Chelsea and during a disastrous loan spell at Tottenham, they are doing everything they can to offload his salary. That includes a threat that if he does not find a new team, he will be barred from playing with Leipzig — basically collecting a paycheck for nothing.
New York and Werner’s representation remain far enough apart on the framework of a deal (salary) that an agreement cannot get over the finish line despite being in talks on and off for at least the last eight months. A source told amNewYork in early July that the Red Bulls tabled a 2.5-year offer that paid him roughly $4.6 million annually.
Other reports have suggested that the MLS side has increased its offer, including one from Bild saying a heavily performance-based contract could see him make over $11 million if he made the jump to New York. AmNY cannot provide any confirmation on that at this time.
A move to the Red Bulls makes an abundance of sense for Werner, whose market is obviously thin given the lack of other legitimate suitors that are currently known. Borussia Mönchengladbach, another Bundesliga club, has shown interest in the striker, but a considerable pay cut would be needed for him to fit within their books.
Given the issues within negotiations with the Red Bulls, that eliminates any sort of momentum toward Werner staying in Germany’s top flight.
Playing in New York would allow Werner to not only receive the regular playing time that he has lost over the last two years, but it would also give him an opportunity to reestablish himself as a productive forward in hopes of returning to the zenith of international soccer, where he was once perched earlier this decade.
As we reported last week, while the Red Bulls remain hopeful a deal can be completed, a source did admit that optimism is understandably waning.
