Tim Werner is no stranger to harsh criticism.
While his imminent return to the Premier League on loan to Tottenham Hotspur has revealed some of the more sensitive moments during his two-year stint with Chelsea in London, Werner has been the target of unwanted jokes since his days as a teenage prodigy at Stuttgart.
Reflecting on his meteoric rise in the Bundesliga, Werner sighed: “There is a lot of envy in football.” The German revealed that “some fans, media, coaches or teammates” “hit him over the head”.
No Premier League player is free from criticism in the hyper-reactive modern age and Werner will be no different. Here’s a look at the figures that may find themselves on his back as he tries in vain to satisfy all the critics.
The history of the numbers on Tim Werner’s T-shirt:
When the 17-year-old Werner made his debut for Stuttgart in 2013, he wore the number 19, which he wore for all three seasons in the first team.
A hotly-controversial move to much-maligned Bundesliga newcomers RB Leipzig in 2016 saw Werner’s popularity plummet far more than his reduced squad number. Werner was given the number 11, which he began to appreciate. Werner wore the same number on his senior international debut, was given the number eleven at Chelsea and took it again on his return to Leipzig in 2022.
“I think it’s a good number for a striker,” Werner told Chelsea’s official website shortly after Pedro’s departure, allowing him to take up the popular jersey. “I like the number 11. I also have it in the German national team. Yes, I think my number is very good. It suits me well.”
Werner wore the number 9 jersey for Germany at the disastrous 2018 World Cup. Werner started all three games when his national team were relegated in the group stage and failed to score, while forcing the opposing goalkeeper into only one goal.
It is probably not surprising that Werner has avoided single-digit numbers in the team ever since. “I like to have two numbers on my back,” he revealed. “Having two numbers on my back is a bit nicer than one.”
Tottenham shirt numbers available:
Unfortunately for Werner, his prized number 11 is owned by Bryan Gill. The Spurs are desperately light up front, which partly explains Werner’s emergency move to ensure Gil’s departure remains unlikely.
Ryan Sessegnon wears number 19 – Werner’s second choice – for the Spurs and has recently returned to form, offering a defensive option in another rare area of Tottenham’s squad.
Werner will not be interested in the availability of players 1, 2 and 6. The imminent departure of Eric Dier could free up 15, while 16 is immediately available. Werner could also choose 24, 25, 26 or 28.
Anything above 30 is usually reserved for academy graduates, but the Spurs have plenty of first team players who are not afraid of high numbers. If Werner wants to follow the trend set by Micky van de Ven (37) and Destiny Udogie (38) in the summer, he can choose any of 31, 32, 34 or 39.
Whatever Werner chooses, he will undoubtedly face criticism for his choice.