Arsenal have made an opening £30m offer for Ajax’s highly-rated defender Jurrien Timber, who is open to joining Mikel Arteta’s side.
Jurrien Timber, 22, was pursued by Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag last summer, but the player ended up extending his contract with Ajax until 2025. The Netherlands international was a part of the Ajax team that finished in the Eredivisie last season, missing out on Champions League qualification.
As a result, the versatile defender is keen on the move, although Arsenal and Ajax are apart over the valuation. The Eredivisie giants reportedly want in excess of £30m, but there is optimism a compromise can be reached between the two clubs. If an agreement over the fee is reached, agreeing personal terms with Timber is not likely to be a problem for Arsenal.
Mikel Arteta keen on reinforcing Arsenal’s backline
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is keen to bolster his defence that struggled in April during William Saliba’s injury absence. Following Saliba’s injury, the Gunners’ backline looked all over the place, conceding 11 goals in four games against Liverpool, West Ham, Southampton and Manchester City as the team fell flat in the title race.
Arteta wants to address that problem this summer and is eyeing a move for Ajax’s Jurrien Timber. A product of Ajax’s famed youth academy, Timber enjoyed his breakthrough during the 2020/21 season where he made 30 appearances across all competitions. Since then, the 22-year-old has not looked back and has gone on to make over 120 appearances for the senior Ajax side.
The Dutch defender, who has played 15 times for his country, scored two goals and bagged as many assists in 34 Eredivisie appearances for Ajax this past season as they finished in third position. Chiefly a central defender, Timber is also comfortable playing at right-back and also in defensive midfield. He would add quality and depth to the Arsenal squad, whilst being a good option to compete with Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu at right-back position.
A deal with Arsenal is seemingly close, and Timber’s technical ability, game reading and agility combined with positional flexibility would make him an ideal fit in Arteta’s system at the Emirates Stadium. The Dutch defender has huge potential and could unlock it under the watchful eyes of Arteta.
I am Rohan Sengupta from one of the busiest cities in India, Mumbai. A Journalism graduate with a keen interest in sports, football is something I simply cannot live without and writing, discussing and analyzing the game is what I do 24*7.
