The Germans who have graced the Premier League as Timo Werner heads to Chelsea
Chelsea fans are already thrilled at the prospect of Timo Werner playing for them next season as a £53million transfer from RB Leipzig moves closer to fruition.
The German striker is one of the hottest properties in European football and his reliable supply of goals has the potential to elevate Chelsea into title contention.
But Werner will be far from the first German to grace the Premier League since its inception back in 1992. In fact, he will be the 70th footballer from Germany to feature in the English top-flight in this time.
While the likes of Stefan Malz, Sergio Peter and Lennard Sowah are only remembered by die-hard fans, plenty have left a positive impression on the English game. Sportsmail take a look at 10 who made an impact.
Chelsea fans are already excited at the prospect of Werner leading their attack next season
Jurgen Klinsmann
Tottenham Hotspur 1994-1995, 1997-1998
The original superstar striker to come to the Premier League from Germany, Klinsmann made quite the impression at Spurs in two stints at White Hart Lane.
A long-established Germany international, Klinsmann had played for Stuttgart, Inter Milan and Monaco before coming to London in 1994 for the princely fee of £2million.
Klinsmann didn’t receive the warmest of welcomes but won around the sceptics with 20 Premier League goals and 30 in all that season, winning the FWA Footballer of the Year award.
Jurgen Klinsmann was a firm favourite at Tottenham during two free-scoring spells with them
His ‘dive’ celebration, a riposte to all those critics who believed he went to ground too easily, was seen at grounds up and down the country.
And during his second spell at Spurs, in 1997-98, he helped rescue the club from relegation with a blast of nine goals in 18 games, further embellishing his legend there.
Michael Ballack
Chelsea 2006-2010
The complete midfielder, Ballack had already helped Bayer Leverkusen to a Champions League final and won every domestic honour with Bayern Munich before accepting a new challenge at Chelsea in 2006.
Known for his range of passing, physical presence and leadership in the centre of the field, Ballack eventually shrugged off early criticism and injury problems to become a force at Chelsea.
Michael Ballack lifts the Premier League trophy during the last of his four seasons with Chelsea
Despite pundits questioning his work rate at times, Ballack ended his first season in England with FA Cup and League Cup winners’ medals.
After ankle surgery, he helped Chelsea to the Champions League final in 2008, acquiring a knack of scoring crucial goals.
Ultimately, he played 166 times for Chelsea over four years, helping them to a Premier League and FA Cup double in his final season of 2009-10.
Jens Lehmann
Arsenal 2003-2008, 2010-2011
Lehmann had to fill the gloves of Arsenal legend David Seaman when he arrived at Highbury from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2003.
The German ended his first season having played all 38 matches in the Gunners’ Invincibles campaign, earning a permanent place in Premier League history.
He also helped Arsenal reach the Champions League final in 2006, though his 18th-minute red card for bringing down Barcelona’s Samuel Eto’o ultimately proved fatal to their hopes.
Jens Lehmann was Arsenal goalkeeper for five successful years during the noughties
Lehmann was prone to errors but certainly didn’t lack for shot-stopping ability, agility and confidence, going down as one of the Premier League’s finest keepers.
He briefly returned to Arsenal amid an injury crisis in 2011 and then as a coach in 2018.
When Unai Emery decided he didn’t want Lehmann as part of his coaching set-up, the often outspoken German tweeted that ‘the attitude from our 2004 group is not needed there anymore.’
Dietmar Hamann
Newcastle United, Liverpool, Manchester City 1998-2009
One of the finest defensive midfielders of his generation, Hamann spent all but five years of his professional career playing in the Premier League.
It was Kenny Dalglish’s Newcastle who paid £5.5m to bring Hamann over from Bayern Munich after he caught the eye playing for Germany at the 1998 World Cup.
Moving on after just one season, Hamann excelled at Liverpool during a time when achieved success in cup competitions.
Dietmar Hamann challenges AC Milan striker Andriy Shevchenko during the 2005 final
Two FA Cup, two League Cup and a UEFA Cup success was followed by incredible Champions League glory in 2005 when Hamann’s introduction for Steve Finnan at half-time in Istanbul turned the tide. Hamann played through the pain of a broken toe to help Liverpool to victory.
He rounded off his time in England’s top-flight with Manchester City between 2006 and 2009 before serving as player-coach at MK Dons.
Robert Huth
Chelsea, Middlesbrough, Stoke City, Leicester City 2001-2017
The centre-back from Berlin holds the record for the most appearances in the Premier League by a German player, racking up 322 for four clubs.
Though low down the pecking order in Chelsea’s defence, Huth helped the club win their first two Premier League titles during Jose Mourinho’s first spell.
Huth gets his hands on the Premier League trophy for the third time at Leicester in 2016
He left Stamford Bridge in 2006 citing a lack of game time and signed for Middlesbrough, where persistent ankle injuries didn’t help his cause.
Moving on to Stoke in 2009, Huth brand of no-compromise defending made him a favourite in a team unafraid to put the boot in.
But the most remarkable chapter was yet to come. Joining Leicester in 2015, Huth helped the club escape relegation then played a full part in their miraculous title success under Claudio Ranieri, his third Premier League win.
Per Mertesacker
Arsenal 2011-2018
Having impressed for Germany at the 2010 World Cup, 6ft 6in giant Mertesacker joined Arsenal from Werder Bremen in the summer of 2011.
He arrived days after the Gunners had been thrashed 8-2 by Manchester United and it was clear Arsene Wenger urgently needed reinforcement in his leaky defence.
Mertesacker soon established himself as a regular at the heart of the Arsenal defence, though his time with the club coincided with a period of drift and decline in the Premier League.
Per Mertesacker slides in to tackle Chelsea striker Diego Costa during the 2017 FA Cup final
Nonetheless, his 221 appearances included three FA Cup successes at the tail end of the Arsene Wenger era and his form enabled him to be part of Germany’s victorious 2014 World Cup campaign.
After hanging up his boots, Mertesacker became manager of Arsenal’s academy, passing on his wealth of football experience to the next generation.
Thomas Hitzlsperger
Aston Villa, West Ham United, Everton 2000-2005, 2010-2011, 2012-2013
Fondly known as ‘Der Hammer’ for his ferocious left foot shot, Hitzlsperger played for a trio of Premier League clubs but was most successful at Aston Villa.
He arrived there after a long time in the Bayern Munich academy during his teenage years and supplied some memorable moments during three seasons as a regular in the team there.
‘Der Hammer’ Thomas Hitzlsperger celebrates scoring for Villa at Bolton in November 2004
The midfielder returned to Germany to help Stuttgart win the Bundesliga in 2007 and also played for Lazio before less well remembered and injury-affected seasons with West Ham and Everton before retirement aged 31.
In 2014, Hitzlsperger became the most prominent footballer to reveal he is gay, saying the issue remains taboo inside football dressing rooms.
Steffen Freund
Tottenham Hotspur, Leicester City 1998-2004
Having been part of the successful Borussia Dortmund team of the mid-1990s – though he didn’t feature in the 1997 Champions League final – defensive midfielder Freund signed for Spurs in 1998.
A regular fixture in their midfield for several seasons, Freund was admired for his work ethic and commitment to the cause, the highlight being Spurs’ League Cup win over Leicester in 1999.
Tottenham’s German midfielder Steffen Freund takes on West Ham’s Joe Cole back in 2000
Indeed, he was inducted into the club’s hall of fame in December 2009 and racked up in excess of 100 Premier League appearances while at White Hart Lane.
Ending his career at Kaiserslautern, he briefly returned to England for a loan spell at Leicester and served as Tottenham assistant head coach from 2012 to 2014.
Mesut Ozil
Arsenal 2013-
It’s pretty clear now how Mesut Ozil’s time at Arsenal will be assessed, even though the German playmaker maybe still has time to set the record straight.
We have seen glimpses of this obviously highly talented footballer, hints of the class he showed in three years at Real Madrid that persuaded Arsenal to part with £42.5m to sign him.
He helped Arsenal win three FA Cups to illuminate the largely dire final years of Wenger’s long tenure.
Mesut Ozil’s time with Arsenal will be remembered for glimpses of class and much frustration
But largely Ozil has flattered to deceive, drawing justified criticism for a lack of effort, spark and consistency when Arsenal have needed him to perform.
The supporters will certainly reflect on what might have been for a player who was, after all, a World Cup winner with Germany in his pomp.
Uwe Rosler
Manchester City, Southampton 1993-1996, 2000-2002
At a time when the Premier League was becoming more and more cosmopolitan, Rosler was one of the first German players to be drawn to it.
Manchester City were far from the trophy-winning powerhouse they are today but Rosler succeeded in becoming a firm fan favourite with a constant stream of goals.
The forward netted 22 times in the 1994-95 campaign and 13 the following season, sticking with the club for two more seasons despite relegation to what was then Division One.
Uwe Rosler of Manchester City challenges Liverpool’s John Scales in a 1995 contest
It was only when City suffered relegation to the third tier in 1998 that Rosler returned to Germany.
He returned to the Premier League for a less heralded spell with Southampton in 2000 but is rightly remembered at City from a more modest time than now.
Rosler also managed in England with Brentford, Wigan, Leeds and Fleetwood and is now at the helm of Bundesliga side Fortuna Dusseldorf.
