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Timo Werner joined Chelsea in July 2020 for a reported £47.5 million.
Once one of the hottest commodities in world football, Werner has seen a fall from grace over the past year. To be fair to him, his stint with Chelsea hasn't been the worst.
Last season, Werner managed six goals and 12 assists in the Premier League, becoming one of Chelsea's most efficient players in terms of output. However, the circumstances of these results are often talked about.
One common criticism is his inability to put away easy chances. Werner had one of the highest xG (expected goals) in the league last season, but managed to score only six.
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Werner is blessed with several strengths. He is incredibly rapid and often gets into the right areas. He has, however, unfortunately built a reputation for being a wasteful player at Chelsea, seemingly leading the club to go all-out for Romelu Lukaku as a replacement.
Let's take a look at five players Chelsea could have signed instead of Timo Werner.
#5. Alexander Isak - Real Sociedad
Alexander Isak has enjoyed a stunning rise to fame over the past couple of years.
The Swede started his career with AIK in Sweden before moving to Borussia Dortmund's youth academy in Germany. He made his first professional appearance for Dortmund in 2017.
After a loan spell with Willem in Holland, Isak was signed on a permanent deal by Spanish outfit Real Sociedad in 2019. He has been excellent for them ever since and has built a reputation for being an outstanding goalscorer.
The 22-year-old has made 96 appearances in total for the club, scoring 34 goals and providing five assists. He has also represented Sweden for the last four years, even impressing during this summer's UEFA Euro 2020.
Isak certainly has the attention of some of the world's top clubs and looks increasingly destined to move to a bigger team.
#4. Luka Jovic - Real Madrid
Luka Jovic is a player who has a lot to prove to Europe's elite.
The Serbian first earned the appreciation of many because of his exploits with Eintracht Frankfurt in Germany. Jovic has made 93 appearances for the club, scoring 40 goals and providing 10 assists.
His performances earned him a big-money move to Spanish giants Real Madrid for a reported €60 million. Jovic came to Spain with huge promise, but it is fair to say now that things haven't worked out.
The Serb's two-year period in Spain has been marred by injuries and an extended period of underwhelming performances. In 38 appearances for the club, Jovic managed to score only two goals.
He was loaned back to Frankfurt this year, where he continues to ply his trade. With Jovic seemingly due some redemption in his career, one can't help but wonder if he could shine in England.
#3. Victor Osimhen - Napoli
Victor Osimhen has been in world-class form for the last couple of years.
The Nigerian made his professional debut with Wolfsburg in 2017 and has since gone on to become one of the world's best young attackers. He spent two years with the German outfit before moving to Lille in France.
Osimhen enjoyed a fantastic year with Lille, showing great promise. He earned the appreciation of many and capped off an excellent year by winning Lille's Player of the Season award.
Osimhen signed for Napoli in 2020 for a club-record €70 million, becoming the most expensive African footballer in history. He has been in top form for the Italian side, already racking up 18 goals in just 39 appearances.
Tipped as one for the future, Osimhen certainly has a long way to go in his career. It remains to be seen if he can continue his meteoric rise and develop into a truly world-class player.
#2. Andre Silva - RB Leipzig
Andre Silva is one of the world's most underrated strikers at the moment.
Silva has enjoyed a successful career that has taken him to many parts of Europe. Starting out initially with Porto, he went on to sign for AC Milan in 2017. After three years with the Rossoneri, he had two loan spells at Sevilla and Eintracht Frankfurt.
Frankfurt later decided to make the deal permanent, signing the Portuguese on a three-year deal in 2020. He had an outstanding record for Frankfurt, scoring 45 goals in 71 appearances for the German outfit.
Silva joined Leipzig during the summer and has featured regularly for the club so far this season. The 25-year-old has also been a regular for the Portuguese national team, even being a part of the Selecao for UEFA Euro 2020.
With Silva still in his prime and showing an obvious eye for goal, many believe he should be playing for a bigger club. This season will be crucial in determining the Portuguese's career path.
#1. Lautaro Martinez - Inter Milan
Lautaro Martinez's story has been nothing short of phenomenal.
The Argentinian signed for Inter Milan in 2018 and has since developed into one of the most in-demand strikers in world football. He has a unique skill set: he is brilliant at link-up play while also being a deadly finisher.
Martinez has made 142 appearances for Inter, scoring 54 goals in total. He has also provided 20 assists and was a key figure in their title-winning run in the 2020-21 season.
The 24-year-old has been in high demand for the last two years. At one point, he seemed very likely to move but the club decided against it, after already having sold Romelu Lukaku to Chelsea.
Martinez has been prolific at the international level too, most recently winning Copa America with Argentina earlier this year. With Martinez tied to Inter for at least a few more months, his performances will determine if he stays in Italy or moves abroad for a bigger challenge.
