Chelsea could enter the race to sign highly rated striker Timo Werner, after Bayern Munich reportedly pulled out of the race to sign the 23-year-old.

The Blues are known to be in the market for a striker, with their options up front limited. Lyon forward Moussa Dembele is a top target for Frank Lampard, but the French outfit are reluctant to let the player go midway through the season and remain stubborn on the commanded fee.

RB Leipzig would also be unwilling to allow Timo Werner to leave at this stage of the season, but his apparent willingness to exit the Bundesliga club could prove to be a deal breaker.

Should the German striker force a move, Chelsea would be at the front of the queue to sign him, after Bayern Munich ended their interest in the 23-year-old.

Bayern’s sporting director, Hasan Salihamidzic, admitted they had the opportunity to sign the striker for just £21m due to a change in his release clause, but that they would stick with trustee Robert Lewandowski for the time being.

In an interview with Sport Bild, Salihamidzic said: “Timo Werner is a good player who had an excellent first half of the season. However, we have Robert Lewandowski. Robert is a striker who is a perfect fit for our playing style.

“Robert is able to orientate himself despite having little space on the pitch. He has the ability to move in tight spaces and find excellent solutions with the ball.

“With his pace, Timo Werner needs more space, just like he had in the system that Leipzig played. They may have changed their system, but it’s still not as tight for them offensively as it is for us.”

This leaves Chelsea as front runners for Werner, who would be a massive coup for the London club. The German has managed a hugely impressive 18 goals in 17 Bundesliga appearances, whilst also notching six assists.