Timo Werner joins Earthquakes to reboot his career as an MLS import

The former Bundesliga star is hoping a change of scenery can help him regain his scoring touch

Jan. 30, 2026 at 2:39pm

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Timo Werner, a former scoring star for Bundesliga club RB Leipzig, has signed with the San Jose Earthquakes in Major League Soccer. After falling out of favor at Leipzig and spending much of the past year on the bench, the 29-year-old German striker is looking to revive his career in the United States.

Why it matters

Werner's signing represents a shift in the type of international talent MLS is attracting, with the league now able to lure younger stars looking to reignite their careers rather than just aging veterans nearing retirement. As the 2026 World Cup approaches, MLS is positioning itself to showcase more elite global talent.

The details

After scoring 95 goals for RB Leipzig from 2016-2020, Werner fell out of favor with the club and spent the past six months with only 13 minutes of playing time. Seeking a fresh start, he has now joined the Earthquakes, who are in the midst of a rebuild. Werner is hoping the change of scenery and the chance for more playing time can help him regain his form as a top striker.

  • Werner signed with the Earthquakes in January 2026.
  • He spent the past six months with only 13 minutes of playing time at RB Leipzig.

The players

Timo Werner

A 29-year-old German striker who was once a scoring star for Bundesliga club RB Leipzig, but has fallen out of favor in recent years.

Bruce Arena

The head coach of the San Jose Earthquakes, who believes Werner's signing represents a shift in the type of international talent MLS is now able to attract.

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What they’re saying

“I had a bit of taste how it could be when I finish my career. To be honest, of course it was tough to see your teammates competing on the Saturday, but on the other side, you had time with your family, you had time with your friends, you had time for other things. And you learned that life is not sometimes always about football, always about winning because after (a) career, you also have to still live like 50, 60, 70 years.”

— Timo Werner (sfchronicle.com)

“We were coming off the '94 World Cup in the United States, and we were fortunate to bring in some big-name players at the time, but players a little bit older. A lot of them were towards the end of their careers. Now, you can see that we're getting international players that have a lot of years left and they're still growing as players. I think with the 2026 World Cup being in the United States, the following year 2027, we're going to have some really elite players in our league.”

— Bruce Arena, Head Coach, San Jose Earthquakes (sfchronicle.com)

What’s next

Werner is expected to make his debut for the Earthquakes in their season opener on March 1, 2026.

The takeaway

Timo Werner's signing with the San Jose Earthquakes represents a shift in the type of international talent MLS is now able to attract, with the league positioning itself to showcase more elite global players ahead of the 2026 World Cup in the United States.