RB Leipzig star Timo Werner is on his way to Chelsea this summer

The Germany striker has been heavily linked with a move to the Premier League amid interest from the Blues, Liverpool and Manchester United.

Liverpool were thought to be the favourites to sign the 24-year-old, who has publicly praised Jurgen Klopp’s runaway Premier League leaders as the ‘best team in the world’.

But the Reds have cooled their interest in recent weeks as they reassess their transfer options due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Now Chelsea have moved in and Werner is ready to join Frank Lampard’s side.

Werner is understood to have already agreed terms on a long-term contract worth almost £200,000-a-week and the club are in talks with Leipzig to thrash out a deal.

The Germany international has a £53million release clause in his contract which expires in less than a fortnight and Chelsea are expected to pay the full fee.

Werner will become Lampard’s second signing after Chelsea’s transfer ban was lifted in January. Dutch winger Hakim Ziyech is also moving to Stamford Bridge this summer from Ajax in a £33m deal.

Werner has been high in demand after impressing in the Bundesliga and his signing will be a major coup for Lampard and Chelsea.

He has scored 75 goals in 122 matches since making his RB Leipzig debut in 2013. Only Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski (29) has netted more Bundesliga goals than Werner (25) this season.

On Monday, Leipzig boss Julian Nagelsmann seemed to concede defeat in keeping Werner.

He said: “There is nothing we can do about it. He knows what he has in Leipzig and also what he has with me.

“I show him that – he gets many chances to develop himself. I don’t know if it will help him that much if I tell him every day.

“A player has to feel that he can get better. If he doesn’t feel that, it wouldn’t do any good if I kept on telling him to stay here.

“In the end, it is his life, his career, he can decide that. I can’t think of anything new to say to Timo.”