Timo Werner turned one of many blockbuster strikes of the 2026 MLS winter switch window after finishing his signing with San Jose Earthquakes. Nevertheless, the striker has not escaped scrutiny, on this case from USMNT legend Tim Howard, who strongly questioned the transfer.
Throughout the 2025 summer season switch window, Son Heung-min and Thomas Müller have been among the many most high-profile European stars to hitch MLS, signing with LAFC and the Vancouver Whitecaps, respectively. Within the present window, the highlight has shifted to Werner and James Rodríguez, who accomplished strikes to San Jose and Minnesota United.
Whereas discussing these transfers on the Unfiltered Soccer YouTube channel with Landon Donovan, Howard supplied a blunt evaluation of the German striker: “I’m going to say one thing actually disrespectful and I don’t know the way else to say it, however Timo Werner couldn’t hit a cow’s a– with a banjo. I’ve watched Tim for 2 seasons at Tottenham Hotspur actually undergo one-on-one with the goalkeeper and the ball finally ends up… it’s arduous to observe.“
Regardless of successful the UEFA Champions League with Chelsea and incomes quite a few caps with Germany, Howard targeted on the striker’s latest struggles. Unsuccessful spells again at RB Leipzig and in England with Tottenham have seen Werner fall wanting the extent he confirmed earlier in his profession.
“You ever see a baseball participant get the yips, and it’s arduous to observe? I’m pondering it nearly turned comical, and I’m like, ‘that’s not okay,’” Howard mentioned. “When it turns into comical you’re kind of infringing on somebody’s private house type of factor, and so although I simply mentioned a really disrespectful assertion, does that get higher in MLS? I don’t know,” he added.
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“I’m betting no, if I needed to guess,” Donovan replied. Throughout the 2025-26 season at Leipzig, Werner, sidelined from the plans of head coach Ole Werner, has performed simply 14 minutes throughout three appearances, together with his final official match coming in opposition to Bayer Leverkusen on December 20, arriving in MLS removed from peak kind.
What about James Rodríguez?
James Rodríguez is dealing with an identical state of affairs to Werner when it comes to inactivity. With Membership León, his final match got here in opposition to Puebla on November 8, and after his contract with the Liga MX facet expired, he educated on his personal till Minnesota’s supply arrived and accomplished the signing in early February.
Nevertheless, the USMNT legend has very completely different expectations for the Colombian star, who’s aiming to be totally match for the 2026 World Cup: “After which James Rodríguez — from a pair individuals I talked to who’re kind of at and round Everton and different locations — they mentioned to me, ‘Look, Tim, if Lionel Messi’s not on the sector, James Rodríguez would be the greatest participant on each subject he touches.’”
