Timo Werner has failed Jurgen Klopp's test by entertaining a transfer to Chelsea.
That's according to former Liverpool forward John Barnes, who reckons the German is "not the sort of player you want anyway".
Liverpool had been in hot pursuit of Werner and the RB Leipzig striker was very much on board with their interest in him.
"It's a pleasure," Werner said on being linked with a move to Anfield. "But I know Liverpool play a lot of good players and I have to improve myself and to learn much more things to get on this level to play there."
The global coronavirus crisis has forced almost every club in world football to tighten their belts ahead of the summer window.
And as Mirror Sport revealed, Liverpool were forced to take their foot off the gas in their pursuit of the forward as a direct result.
RB Leipzig, meanwhile, were not prepared to accept a fee of less than £50million - Werner's release clause - and the Reds had until June 15 to trigger it before it expired.
After this date, RB Leipzig could, in theory, demand more for their prized asset.
There's no denying that Werner's first choice was Liverpool.
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According to The Athletic, the German even thrashed out a separate deadline with the Reds so they had first dibs on him.
But Liverpool were forced to contact Werner to explain they would not be able to raise the funds in time.
At which point Chelsea swooped in, triggered the clause, and are in advanced talks to bring the forward to Stamford Bridge.
The entire situation has put Werner in a difficult position.
Last season the German was linked with a move to Bayern Munich, only to see the rug pulled from under him at the last minute. The striker didn't want lightning to strike twice, which is why he is entertaining Chelsea.
But Barnes previously claimed that if the German did entertain another club while Liverpool are showing any sign of interest in him, then he probably isn't right for the Reds.
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Barnes told BonusCodeBets: "[Liverpool] want players that want to play for Liverpool. I'm sure a lot of people were after [Virgil] van Dijk, but he wanted to come to Liverpool.
"If they don't get a move on and Manchester City, Arsenal or Chelsea come in for him and he decides to go there, that's not the sort of player you want anyway.
"Because he'll just go where they're going to pay him more money or he wasn't that committed to wanting to come to play for Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool.
"I don't think they have to get a move on, they didn't get a move on with Van Dijk or Alisson and a lot of people wanted them to, it's because they wanted to come. This is a test to see if he really wants to come and play for Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool."
Considering how things have panned out it seems Werner didn't pass Klopp's test, but at the same time Liverpool - who didn't meet the deadline - failed the forward's too.
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