Personal terms agreed, New bid agreed – Arsenal enters final stage of completing first summer transfer – Fabrizio Romano confirmed a ✅“Done Deal” Announcement imminent.
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In their quest to strengthen the squad for the upcoming season and compete for the title, Arsenal has set their sights on acquiring Eredivisie standout Jurrien Timber.
As Mikel Arteta and Edu gear up for a busy summer, the Gunners are reportedly working on a deal to secure the services of the talented Ajax defender.
According to David Ornstein of The Athletic, Arsenal has expressed their interest in Timber and has already made an opening offer of approximately £30 million.
However, Ajax is said to be holding out for a fee closer to £50 million. Despite the valuation gap, Arsenal remains hopeful that a compromise can be reached, especially since personal terms are believed to have been agreed upon.
Timber, at the age of 22, is widely regarded as one of the most promising young defensive talents in Europe. Primarily deployed as a center-back, he is also adept at playing as a right-back, showcasing his versatility and defensive prowess.
Talent scout Jacek Kulig has lauded Timber as “exceptional,” and comparisons have been drawn between his style of play and that of Arsenal’s Oleksandr Zinchenko. Like Zinchenko, Timber possesses exceptional technical ability on the ball and has a knack for distributing play from the back.
Sam Dean, a journalist covering Arsenal, describes Timber as a “Zinchenko-type player” and reveals that the club has been planning to add an inverted right-back to complement their defensive setup.
The introduction of players like Zinchenko and the transformation of Ben White into an inverted full-back have brought a new dimension to Arteta’s preferred starting eleven.
Having players capable of providing support and creating opportunities for attackers like Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka has significantly enhanced Arsenal’s attacking threat, a trend that could be further strengthened by Timber’s arrival.
Timber’s statistics speak volumes about his abilities in progressive play and distribution.
With an average of 8.62 progressive passes per 90 minutes and an impressive pass completion rate of 91.6%, the Dutchman has showcased his ability to initiate attacking moves from the back.
His passing statistics closely resemble those of Zinchenko, with Timber averaging 81.65 attempted passes every 90 minutes compared to Zinchenko’s 81.12. Moreover, Timber’s contribution in carrying the ball forward is commendable, averaging 2.38 progressive carries per game.
Defensively, Timber has proven himself to be tenacious, winning an average of 51% of his duels in the Eredivisie. He averages 1.4 tackles and 1.2 interceptions per game, demonstrating his ability to disrupt opponents’ attacks effectively.
Should Arsenal succeed in securing the services of Timber, Arteta would be acquiring a top talent who perfectly fits his desired defensive setup.
Arsenal want Jurrien Timber as concrete target, as @David_Ornstein reported — he’s top of the list that also includes Mo Simakan. 🚨⚪️🔴 #AFC
Ajax will not accept £30m for Timber as they want bigger fee. Talks will continue as player’s keen on the move. pic.twitter.com/QrtEhAh6SD
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 19, 2023
However, only time will tell if the Gunners can finalize the deal and bring the highly sought-after Dutchman to the Emirates.
