Germany striker Timo Werner returns to RB Leipzig

Germany striker Timo Werner is returning to RB Leipzig from Premier League side Chelsea with a four-year contract until 2026, the German club announced on Tuesday.

There were reports that the transfer to the German Cup winners, for an initial €20 million ($20.4 million) plus bonuses, was settled.

"I had two great years at Chelsea FC, for which I am very grateful and which were crowned with the Champions League title. The experience of playing in another country and another league has helped me a lot for my path," Werner said in a statement issued by RB Leipzig.

The 26-year-old Werner arrived in Leipzig on Monday evening in a private plane belonging to the RB consortium. He was picked up directly from the tarmac and brought to a hotel in Leipzig centre where fans were waiting for him for photos and autographs.

Werner moved to Chelsea from Leipzig for around €55 million in 2020 after a four-year stint with the Bundesliga side.

He was part of the Chelsea side which won the Champions League in 2021 but has recently struggled for game time and wants to leave in a bid to protect his Germany place for the World Cup later this year.