Thomas Tuchel has hit back at Timo Werner after the Chelsea star hinted he wasn’t completely happy at the club due to his lack of game time.
Werner was in and out of the team last season having struggled for form and consistency in his time at Stamford Bridge.
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The arrival of Raheem Sterling from Manchester City looks set to maintain the competition for starting spots this term despite the departure of Romelu Lukaku for Inter Milan on loan.
Asked about his happiness at Chelsea ahead of the coming season, Werner claimed he could be “happy everywhere”, but wants to “play and score goals”.
He said bluntly: “I could be happy everywhere.
“The most important thing is that I am happy. I am happy when I play and score goals. That’s the fact. That’s what I should take care of and other things will come.”
Werner revealed he has not spoken with Tuchel about his situation, adding: “The manager always has different ideas, different thoughts and what you need in different games.
“In many games I was not in his thoughts so I try to change that. It is not different to last season, it was the same when Romelu came. We had big, big competition. It’s still the same.
“At a big club like Chelsea you have that competition. In pre-season you can show that you want to play, that you are a guy who wants to be in the starting XI. That’s what I try.”
Tuchel took umbrage with Werner’s comments, insisting the Germany international should be delighted to be at Chelsea and that he needs to “show quality” to earn and keep his place in the starting XI.
“I’m surprised,” Tuchel said when asked about Werner’s comments. “I would be very happy as a young guy having a contract at Chelsea Football Club. I would be one of the happiest people on the planet.”
“So he needs to get his game time,” Tuchel then replied when told Werner was concerned about lack of game time. “Show quality, take your place and defend your place. I would be one of the happiest people on the planet having a contract with Chelsea. If he said this, I do not understand.”