Arsenal have made an official announcement regarding the acquisition of Jurrien Timber, a Dutch national team defender, from Ajax.
The Gunners successfully negotiated the terms of his transfer, leading to his signing. Timber, who had previously clinched two Eredivisie championships with Ajax, has committed to a long-term contract with Arsenal. This marks Arsenal's second signing during the summer transfer window, following the arrival of Kai Havertz from Chelsea at the end of June.
Mikel Arteta, Arsenal's manager, expressed his enthusiasm for Timber's arrival in an interview with the club's media outlets. Arteta described Timber as a versatile young defender who will seamlessly adapt to the team's playing style and significantly enhance the overall quality of their squad.
Despite his young age, Timber has already accomplished remarkable feats in his career. He has gained valuable experience from participating in major international tournaments on multiple occasions and has secured various trophies during his time at Ajax. The Arsenal manager eagerly anticipates Timber's integration into the team, and they are eager to welcome him and incorporate him into the squad.
Jurrien Timber, the Dutch footballer, was absent from Ajax's initial outdoor training session of the summer as his anticipated £40m transfer to Arsenal drew near. Prior to reaching an agreement with Ajax, personal terms had already been settled between Timber and Arsenal.
Throughout the 2022/23 season, Timber predominantly operated as a center-back but also displayed his versatility by playing as a right-sided defender. His proficient passing skills and inclination to dribble could potentially resemble the role of Oleksandr Zinchenko on the left side if manager Mikel Arteta maintains the central partnership of William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes.
Timber's football journey began in Feyenoord's youth system before he joined Ajax in 2014. He signed his first professional contract in 2018 and initially played for the development team Jong before making his debut in the Eredivisie in 2020. When Ajax was under the management of current Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag, Timber was a target of interest for the Red Devils last year. Manchester United maintained their pursuit earlier in the summer, and Arsenal and Liverpool also joined in monitoring the talented defender.
Arsenal initially made a bid of €35m, which Ajax rejected, setting their asking price at €60m. However, confidence grew within the Arsenal camp regarding a successful transfer, leading Ajax to reduce their desired fee to €50m. The transfer fee agreed upon includes an upfront payment of €42m, with an additional €5m in potential add-ons.
Arsenal is still in the process of finalizing the details for the signing of Declan Rice, the West Ham and England midfielder. The Gunners managed to fend off competition from Manchester City to secure a £105m deal with West Ham. Meanwhile, the future of Thomas Partey with Arsenal remains uncertain, and Granit Xhaka's departure to Bayer Leverkusen was confirmed on Thursday.
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