Timo Werner to Chelsea announcement delayed ‘solely’ as he can’t take medical due to coronavirus travel regulations

Posted Friday, June 12, 2020 by Thesun.co.uk

Timo Werner to Chelsea announcement delayed ‘solely’ as he can’t take medical due to coronavirus travel regulations
Chelsea will have to wait to announce the signing of Timo Werner, as the German striker is unable to undergo a medical due to coronavirus restrictions in England and Germany Credit: EPA

CHELSEA are only waiting to announce the signing of Timo Werner due to coronavirus travel rules.

Reports last week suggested the Blues have all but signed Werner after triggering the £50million release clause in the striker's RB Leipzig contract.

But according to The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein, any confirmation over that deal is being held up by coronavirus restrictions in England and Germany.

"Delay in the Werner deal is solely down to the practicalities of getting a medical done," he tweeted.

"He can't fly to the UK due to Bundesliga Covid-19 regulations and Chelsea doctors can't fly to Germany because they would have to isolate for 14 days upon return.

"Chelsea could use the German FA's doctor in the meantime but they're more likely to wait until German season is over on June 27 or quarantine regulations in the UK change."

The UK government introduced two-week quarantine measures for all new arrivals in the country on June 8 in order to prevent further spread of the coronavirus.

If Chelsea doctors were to make the trip to Germany to perform the medical, they would then be unavailable to Frank Lampard and his squad for two weeks after their return to Britain.

The 14-day period of self-isolation would also apply to Werner whenever he touches down in London.

There are still four rounds of fixtures left to play in the Bundesliga, and the German striker making a non-essential trip to London is surely out of the question before the German season's June 27 end-date.

And Chelsea may have to wait even longer than that to announce the 24-year-old's signing.

Werner's current club Leipzig are still active in the Champions League, with that competition likely to be played in August.