Pundit Craig Burley believes Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou should drop Timo Werner in favour of 17-year-old Mikey Moore for upcoming games after the international break.
Werner has started the new season in poor form, is yet to find the back of the net from eight appearances, and has ultimately found himself slipping down the pecking order at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Making his first Premier League starts of the campaign in the last two matches due to Son Heung-Min's absence, the German has struggled to impact games and missed an array of golden opportunities in front of goal.
As a result of this ineffectiveness in the final third, Burley believes exciting youngster Moore should be granted a starting birth over the misfiring forward for the foreseeable future, beginning with Spurs' encounter against West Ham next weekend.
Burley: Werner Should be Dropped for Moore
He's been in poor form
After netting twice in 14 appearances in the second half of last season in North London, Tottenham opted to re-sign Werner on another temporary deal this summer, this time for an entire campaign. Perhaps expecting to push on and become a mainstay in Postecoglou's side, the arrival of Dominic Solanke has seen Son moved out to the left, meaning Werner's minutes have been limited thus far.
However, an injury to the club's captain sidelined the South Korean for trips to United and Brighton, opening a position for Werner to fill in these matches. Slammed for a 'poor' performance in the latter game, the Germany international has received pelters for his inability to convert presentable chances.
Speaking on ESPN FC, Burley claimed that these misses should cost the former Chelsea forward his place in the team, with Moore ready to replace him:
"And again, I don’t want to sort of pick on him, but I am going to. I mean, Timo Werner. Timo Werner, whatever he did in Germany, he has been unable to do in two spells in England.
"His end product was once again atrocious, and that adds to the pressure that goes on a team defensively when you are just not finishing teams off. It wasn’t just Timo Werner, but if he starts the next game after the international break, I will be very surprised.
"A young 17-year-old in Moore is probably going to come in his place. Brennan Johnson has come through a tough time when people were talking about his end product. He gets six goals in six.”
Spurs Targeting Villa Star
They'll face competition from Newcastle and Arsenal
After a mixed start to the season, it appears Postecoglou isn't content with his squad and doesn't want to rest on his laurels. The Australian has identified Aston Villa midfielder Jacob Ramsey, who is valued at £50 million, as a potential target, although the Lillywhites will face competition from Newcastle and Arsenal for his signature.
Ramsey's contract at Villa Park expires in 2026, and it's understood the West Midlands club aren't keen on losing him for free, so may be willing to cash in in January or next summer. The 23-year-old has started just 11 league games since the start of last season.