Ralf Rangnick believes that Timo Werner should consider extending his contract with RB Leipzig amidst rumours of a move away from the Red Bull Arena.
The 23-year-old is about to enter the final year of his contract with the Bundesliga club, and has been linked with both Bayern Munich and Liverpool this summer.
But Rangnick, who leaves his post as RB Leipzig manager to become Head of Sports and Development Soccer at Red Bull on June 30, feels the striker should stay put for the near future.
“My opinion is that Timo fits best here, also in terms of style of play,” he told Kicker.
“If I were his advisor or father, I would clearly advise him to stay and extend his contract.
“When a really big club comes in for him and he wants to leave, he can still do that.”
RB Leipzig finished third in the Bundesliga last season and qualified for the Champions League once again after missing out the previous season, with Werner scoring 19 goals in 37 games across all competitions.
Rangnick revealed that the former Stuttgart forward is not currently planning on signing a new deal with the club – although no teams have made contact over a potential transfer.
“Timo is of the opinion that he does not want to extend the contract,” he continued.
“So far, no club has reported their interest or said they would speak with Timo and want to sign him.
“It’s not a good idea for Timo to go into the final year of his contract, which could be difficult for his relationship with the fans depending on how his performance turns out.
“It would be a shame because since he joined he has become a crowd pleaser.”
If the Germany international has a change of heart and opts to stay with RB Leipzig, he will be playing under former Hoffenheim manager Julian Nagelsmann, who has agreed to take over Rangnick’s post for the 2019/20 season.
The 60-year-old’s current stance echoes his statement in May, when he told Bild that the club “do not want [Werner] to go into the last year of his contract without an extension”.
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