RB Leipzig star Timo Werner is "proud" to be linked with a possible move to Premier League leaders Liverpool but believes his game must improve to earn the right to play alongside Anfield's current attackers.
The 23-year-old scored the decisive goal in Leipzig's 1-0 win over Tottenham in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Wednesday night to continue his strong season in front of goal.
Werner has now struck four times in the Champions League this campaign to go with his 20 Bundesliga goals from just 22 league matches.
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The German attacker has hit double figures in the past four Bundesliga seasons after moving to Leipzig in 2016 from Stuttgart.
As he continues to star in the Champions League, Werner has inevitably been linked with transfers to some of Europe's biggest clubs and he's been particularly flattered by reported interest from the Reds.
"Liverpool is the best team, in this moment, in the world and when you're linked with this team, it makes me very proud," Werner told Viasport after the match.
"But in case of that, it's a pleasure, but I know Liverpool have a lot of good players and I have to improve myself, to learn much more things to get on this level to play there."
Werner is currently contracted to Leipzig until 2023 meaning any transfer to Anfield or elsewhere would require a hefty transfer fee.
For now though, the striker remains focused on his current club, with Leipzig set to host Spurs at home next month as they look to book their spot in the Champions League quarter-finals.
The Germans impressed in the first-leg to claim a narrow lead but Werner concedes the job is far from done.
"This is the problem of the Champions League, when you win the first game - at least outside of Leipzig - here in Tottenham, there's still a lot to do in the 90 minutes in Leipzig," he said.
"So Tottenham is a good team, they showed last year that mentally they can come back in these games and we have to do the same like today."
Leipzig next face Schalke in the Bundesliga on Saturday with the club currently second in the league, just one point shy of leaders and reigning champions Bayern Munich.