Germany vs Mexico, World Cup 2018: How did former Liverpool transfer target Timo Werner fare? Scouting report

At the Football Writers’ Association end-of-season awards dinner in central London last month, Jürgen Klopp – who was unable to be in attendance on account of Liverpool’s own annual knees-up – sent a long, thoughtful letter to be read out on his behalf.

It of course discussed Mohamed Salah and his many achievements in great depth, as well as the impending Champions League final. But it also included a fascinating segment on young striker Rhian Brewster, who had earlier that season made the no doubt difficult decision to highlight the distressing extent of racist abuse he had suffered while playing for the club in European competition.

“Aside from Mo - I have another member of my team with you all this evening and his presence is, I believe, recognition of the importance of your industry: writing and journalism,” Klopp’s letter read, as all eyes in the room turned to the 18-year-old, sat on a table with Troy Townsend from Kick it Out and Matt McCann, Liverpool's head of communications.

“Rhian Brewster is just 18 years old. During the past 12 months Rhian has established himself as one of the most exciting prospects in English football. He has grown and risen in status at Liverpool. He won the World Cup for your country at his age level, he won the Golden Boot at that very same tournament. He made his family, his friends, his club and his country proud in doing what he did on the football pitch.”

The letter was both a glowing character reference as well as an extraordinary endorsement of Brester’s technical ability and potential. And it illustrated in no uncertain terms why Klopp was so determined to keep hold of Brewster, who was at that point still being heavily linked with a move to the Bundesliga, having likely watched with considerable interest Jadon Sancho, Ryan Kent and Ademola Lookman all flourish in Germany.

Which brings us – finally – to Timo Werner. Liverpool have long held an interest in the 22-year-old RB Leipzig striker, with scouts originally dispatched to the Red Bull Arena to watch Naby Keïta and Emil Forsberg returning with glowing reports on the powerful young target man who scored 21 goals in the club’s maiden season in the German top-flight.

As the speculation intensified that the club would bid for Werner this summer, so did news of Brewster’s dissatisfaction grow. The fact that he became eligible to sign professional terms with Liverpool when he turned 18 on 1 April – instead electing to remain on the scholarship deal he first agreed when arriving from Chelsea in 2015, aged just 14 – only added fuel to the fire.

Then two significant developments. Towards the end of last season, several German outlets ran stories that Liverpool were in talks with Werner, with the club quick to brief to the English media that this was not the case and there would be no attempt to sign him this summer. And then the news which broke earlier today: that Brewster had agreed a professional contract with Liverpool after weeks of negotiations with sporting director Michael Edwards, which will tie him to the club until 2023.

It is a real quirk of fate that news of Brewster’s impending contract leaked out on the same day that Germany began their title defence at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, with Joachim Löw selecting Werner to lead the attack against Mexico. On the day that Klopp seemingly made good on his promise to integrate Brewster into his first-team for the forthcoming campaign, the player his club had snubbed signing took to the world stage in Moscow.

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He made an underwhelming start. It took him just three minutes to register his first attempt on goal – but it was a tame effort from a tight angle which zipped placidly past Guillermo Ochoa’s far post. And throughout there was the lingering suspicion that he was trying a little too hard to impress: in particular when he latched onto an optimistic punt forward and shot straight into Ochoa’s midriff, while an incandescent Julian Draxler stood unmarked to his left.

It did not get much better in the second-half. As Germany chased the game – having fallen behind to Hirving Lozano’s wonderful counter-attacking goal – Werner found himself with more chances but was unable to make them count. He should have equalised from around 12 yards out only to stab an instinctive volley high over the bar, before his time finally ran out, and he was hooked moments before the holders slipped to a shock defeat.

But the very fact that Werner – at the tender age of 22 – is now the reigning world champion’s leading striker is of course testament to his pedigree and potential, while also throwing into sharp relief the huge degree of faith Klopp has in Brewster, who he clearly believes is good enough to warrant a place in his squad at the expense of a marquee new forward.

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Werner will have other chances to impress at this tournament, and good performances against Sweden and South Korea will no doubt see his transfer fee inflate and speculation over his future at Leipzig grow.

However Liverpool will play no part in that circus. They will invest their considerable funds elsewhere, having made the bold decision of investing a considerable amount of faith in Brewster.