Liverpool transfer news: Jurgen Klopp could miss out on Timo Werner due to coronavirus if he stays at RB Leipzig

RB Leipzig’s sporting director Markus Krosche believes the current uncertainty over world football means no one can be sure of what will happen in the near-future

Liverpool’s hopes of signing RB Leipzig striker Timo Werner could be scuppered by the coronavirus outbreak.

RB Leipzig sporting director Markus Krosche believes that the current global pandemic could stretch long enough to affect the summer transfer window, with the Bundesliga club expecting to lose the 24-year-old Germany international at the end of the season.

Liverpool have been touted as the front-runners to land Werner in the summer, having not reinforced their front-line attack since the 2017 signing of Mohamed Salah.

But with football in Europe currently on hold for the foreseeable future and the 2019/20 season set to drag on through the summer in an effort to complete all domestic and European games, summer transfers could be seriously impacted to the point that Leipzig would not be in a position to let Werner leave - or may not even be allowed to do so.

“It is clear that Timo has attracted interest from other clubs for his great performances with his goals and assists,” Krosche told Sport1, with Werner scoring an impressive 21 goals in 25 league games and 27 in total from his 36 club matches this season.

“But England has the same problems as we do. The crisis affects not just one league, it has a global impact, and we cannot say whether things will be the same in six months.”

Liverpool are understood to be the favourites to land Werner, with Jurgen Klopp and his scouting team pinpointing the former Stuttgart striker as the perfect fit for his side even though they have doubts regarding his suitability to cope with the physicality of the Premier League.

Yet when asked to clarify whether Werner could end up remaining in Leipzig and not leaving as has been strongly suggested, Krosche could not rule it out.

“Everything is possible,” he said. “We do not know how the transfer market is developing. We are looking into a very foggy glass ball. We do not know what our resources are and what the other clubs have in terms of opportunities.”