Often in a player's career, they believe they're making the right move, turning down one club for another. But in hindsight, it turns out to be a very bad decision. Football is littered with mistakes made by players chosing the wrong club, or even the right club at the wrong time.

Liverpool is no different in that regard; players have opted to join another club only for it to backfire later down the line (Moisés Caicedo). Or, on the other hand, players have decided to join Liverpool and it would be the best thing to happen to their career (Mohamed Salah). The middle ground is when players leave Liverpool to go elsewhere and their career development stalls and their stock plummets (Philippe Coutinho).

Timo Werner, who fits into the first category, is a player who rejected Liverpool in favor of a move to Chelsea, and his fledgling career has never been the same since. Cast your mind back to the summer of 2020 and Werner was one of the brightest prospects in the European game after smashing in 44 Bundesliga goals in the previous two seasons.

Then 24, Werner had his pick of clubs across Europe, and had spoken to Jùrgen Klopp over a move to Liverpool that summer. The club wanted to stall the deal due to the financial implications caused by Covid and the inevitable loss of income. Werner didn't want to wait and opted to join Chelsea.

"When I decided to leave Leipzig, I talked to different clubs, of course," Werner said in a news conference at the time (via ESPN). "Next to Chelsea, there were some other clubs I talked to. But for me I don't want to talk so much about other clubs because at the end I decided for Chelsea.

"There are some other clubs like Liverpool, they have a great team and maybe I could fit good in some other team. But in the end, I decided for Chelsea because it was the best decision I could take, not only because of the style of football but also what they have shown me.

"I think it was a hard decision but I am very, very excited and proud and happy that I decided like this. When I'm here now for maybe two months, it feels right. It feels very good. The team is brilliant. We have some very good but always calm players. It is fun to play here at Chelsea, to be part of the team. We can do very well with this team in the next few months and years."

Werner's stint in West London lasted all of two years, as the German floundered at Stamford Bridge amid the usual chaos that envelops the club. Ten league goals in two years meant Werner was one of the very worst strikers signed by the club during the Roman Abramovich era, and his career has never been the same since. In fact, he's never reached double figures again, even after returning to RB Leipzig.

Now on loan at Tottenham, Werner is likely to be sent back to Germany this summer. As of writing, he's scored only twice in 13 league games and looks light years away from the player that most of Europe wanted four years ago. Liverpool opted to sign Diogo Jota that same summer, and Liverpool can be much happier with how things worked out.

Liverpool.com says: Werner has never publicly stated whether he's regretted joining Chelsea over Liverpool, but surely he has to, considering how his career has turned out. Ahead of coming to Anfield later today, it will surely be on his mind. Chelsea is something of a graveyard for strikers, and Werner was one of the greatest casualties of the Abramovich era.