The name alone would be one of the loudest “wait… WHAT?” rumors the Earthquakes have been connected to in a long time: Timo Werner to San Jose.
Over the last couple days, multiple outlets have pushed the same core report — that San Jose have entered the race for RB Leipzig forward Timo Werner and that talks have taken place, with the info attributed to Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg.
First, the baseline facts: Werner is currently listed as an RB Leipzig player with a contract running to June 30, 2026. So any San Jose move would likely mean a real negotiation with Leipzig (or a major contract decision), not just a simple “free agent to MLS” situation.
The biggest reason this rumor has legs is that it matches what the reporting says about his current moment — limited minutes, a player looking for a reset, and MLS being discussed as a viable path. One report also notes that Werner may prefer to ride out his Leipzig deal rather than move in January, which is a key detail because it tells you this isn’t “done,” it’s a scenario being explored.
Then there’s the MLS angle. Earlier chatter linked Werner to Inter Miami, but recent reporting suggests San Jose is a more concrete option at this stage and that Miami may be shifting priorities. That doesn’t automatically mean the Quakes are “winning” anything — it just means they’re being mentioned in the same sentence by people who are actually plugged in.
So why would San Jose even be in this conversation? Simple: Bruce Arena loves proven tools, and the Quakes have been signaling they want to level up the attacking side with real difference-makers. Werner, at his best, is still a nightmare to defend in space — pace, runs behind, chaos creation — the kind of profile that can flip games if the fit is right.
Now the reality check: even if interest is real, MLS deals live and die on mechanisms — salary structure, DP/TAM flexibility, how much Leipzig would demand, and whether Werner actually wants the move now versus later. That’s why this should be treated as a developing story, not a “break out the jersey swap” lock.
What to watch next is pretty straightforward: do any top-tier reporters add detail beyond “talks took place,” do Leipzig sources hint at a price or a plan, and does San Jose’s roster movement start to look like they’re clearing space for a major attacking signing.
If this keeps building, it’s not just a rumor — it’s the type of headline that would put the Quakes right back in the national conversation overnight.
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