In a stunning coup for Major League Soccer, the San Jose Earthquakes have secured the signature of decorated German international forward Timo Werner from RB Leipzig on a permanent transfer, signing the UEFA Champions League winner to a Designated Player contract through June 2028.
The move, orchestrated by legendary head coach and sporting director Bruce Arena, signals a new era of ambition for a club seeking to end a long playoff drought and establish a winning culture.
“We’re excited about signing Timo Werner,” Arena stated. “To have a player of Timo’s caliber coming in is simply outstanding for the club and the community. I believe he’ll offer us quality on the field, experience and leadership.”
The acquisition, which the club has hailed as the biggest signing in its history, required San Jose to secure Werner’s Discovery Priority from the New York Red Bulls in exchange for $50,000 in future General Allocation Money.
Werner will officially join the team pending receipt of his visa, though he will remain in Germany temporarily for the birth of his first child before linking up with the squad in mid-February.
For Werner, 29, the transfer represents a pivotal fresh start. After a prolific first spell at RB Leipzig where he became the club’s all-time leading scorer with 113 goals, his career trajectory leveled off following a high-profile move to Chelsea FC.
Despite winning the Champions League in 2021, his stint in England was marked by inconsistency. A return to Leipzig and a subsequent loan to Tottenham Hotspur failed to restore him to regular first-team action, resulting in just 13 minutes of play for Leipzig this season.
“The last few months have been challenging for me but I’ve learned a lot and will take that with me for the future,” Werner acknowledged.
Werner was persuaded to choose San Jose after a personal pitch from Arena, who flew to Germany in December to meet with the player. “It’s always a big decision to go to America, but everything is there to be successful,” Werner said.
“Also, it really impressed me that an experienced manager like Bruce, who has had so much success in the league, flew over here to Germany to talk to me about the plan.”
He arrives with a clear mandate for a franchise that has qualified for the postseason only three times in the past 13 years and has never hosted a playoff game at PayPal Park. “The Earthquakes fans can expect to get a player who gives everything on the pitch, every game,” Werner promised. “Every club I’ve joined, I’ve wanted to win a trophy. In the end, I’ve always delivered. That’s why I want to come to San Jose—to win.”
His arrival is timely, as the Earthquakes’ attack has been depleted this offseason by the departures of Josef Martínez, Cristian Espinoza, and Cristian ‘Chicho’ Arango.
Arena envisions Werner, known as “Turbo Timo” for his exceptional pace, slotting into one of the team’s attacking positions, either as a second striker or a wide attacker.
Beyond the pitch, the signing is a strategic statement from a club under Arena’s leadership aiming to transform its identity. “This signing says we’re more ambitious,” Arena asserted. “My general feeling in year one at this club… we were not positioned to win. We didn’t have that mentality. We’re starting to get out of that, and the signing of Timo makes that statement.”
He hopes the marquee addition will galvanize local support and demonstrate a turning point for the organization.
The Earthquakes will open their 2026 MLS campaign at home against Sporting Kansas City on February 21, with Werner expected to be a central figure in their quest to return to relevance and finally bring playoff soccer to San Jose.