Timo Werner insists he has NO regrets choosing Chelsea over Liverpool

Timo Werner has revealed that he has no regrets over his decision to sign for Chelsea over Liverpool as the two sides meet in the FA Cup final.

Werner was on the verge of joining the Reds in the summer of 2020, but instead opted to join the Blues for £53million from Bundesliga side RB Leipzig.

The 26-year-old has struggled since his move to the Premier League, but has still helped Chelsea win the Champions League, Club World Cup and Super Cup.

The German forward has, however, come under intense criticism throughout his stay at Stamford Bridge so far for his inconsistency in front of goal and for failing to hold down a position in the starting line-up.

Werner will look to win his fourth trophy with the Blues when they face Liverpool at Wembley in the FA Cup final.

When he was asked how close he was to joining Liverpool, he told the Evening Standard: 'The only thing I can say is they have a German manager.

'I have known him for many years before, because when I was in Stuttgart, he talked about going to Dortmund. Then I played not so well, so it was done.

'When I was in Leipzig, I had the possibility to come to the Premier League.

'Liverpool were also in my thoughts and were a big possibility for me, but at the end I decided for Chelsea and I won the Champions League title last year. It was not the worst decision.'

Although a move to Liverpool didn't materialise, Werner was full of praise for the Reds boss Klopp.

'He is one of the best coaches we had in Germany. Not to attack our manager, but over the past years he won the most titles.

'He has a very nice personality - a personality that the German people love, because he seems like fun.

'The Germans love the types like Thomas Muller, Jurgen Klopp — they have empathy. They say what they think, and that is really important in this business, to not fake something.

'He's real. He is a funny guy and also, with his power on the sideline, he tries to bring the people with him. That's what we Germans like.'

The forward was also full of praise for his own manager Thomas Tuchel, who won the Champions League within four months of being brought in to rescue Chelsea's season last year.

It will be Tuchel's sixth final since taking over the reins at Stamford Bridge from Frank Lampard in January 2021.

'He is on a level now where, when you say who are the best managers, you have only now Klopp, him and [Pep] Guardiola maybe.'

Werner has notched 11 goals in 37 appearances in all competitions this season, although he did endure a 16 game spell without a goal earlier in the campaign.

That followed a tough season where he scored just 12 last season, but only four of those goals coming from November onwards across a 40 game spell.

'It was a bit strange,' he admitted. 'I think last season it was like every chance I missed was followed by a VAR decision that got ruled out.

'There was always more and more. If I get half of the goals allowed by VAR, which were disallowed, I would have got 15 Premier League goals and 25 or 30 in total — and that would have been a normal season for me.

'But you have to keep going and that's the thing that I learned over two seasons. It can't always go up.

'The five years before Chelsea, the last year was always going up. I never had so many problems in terms of scoring as I've had in the last year. But in the end, it helps you, it brings you to another level.'