In the next few hours: Player will travel to London Colney to complete Arsenal transfer,as deal have now reached the final stage
Arsenal are advancing in a deal to sign Jurrien Timber from Ajax, and the defender is ready to shun other interest in favour of a move to the Emirates, Fabrizio Romano has claimed.
What’s the latest on Arsenal’s move for Timber?
Arsenal have already had a bid rejected for the 22-year-old, but a deal now seems to be edging closer as the Gunners are set to agree personal terms and return with an increased offer.
The defender may be seen as ideal cover for William Saliba and Ben White as both a centre-back and a full-back, and the Dutch international could be one of many significant arrivals in north London this summer.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano revealed that Timber is ready to ignore interest from other clubs including Bayern Munich in order to complete his move to Mikel Arteta’s side.
“Arsenal will bid again for Jurrien Timber. They want him, they feel that the player wants to accept the proposal and he’s really attracted by Arsenal as a possibility,” he stated.
“It’s a work in progress for Timber to Arsenal because they will be in the game. The player wants the move more than other clubs interested, including Bayern, so let’s follow this one over the next few days.
What will Timber bring to Arsenal?
The defender has been described as a “great player” by national teammate Virgil van Dijk, and he could prove to be an outstanding addition to Arsenal’s squad as they return to the Champions League for the first time in over six years.
Arsenal saw their title challenge fall apart following injuries to Saliba and Takehiro Tomiyasu, and Timber could provide necessary depth in both their positions.
Timber astonishingly ranks in the top 1% of centre-backs in the next eight leagues for passing and ball-carrying as per FBref, and his elite ability on the ball makes him ideal for Arteta’s system.
Only Manchester City averaged more possession than Arsenal last season, and given that the Gunners play out the back with the likes of Oleksander Zinchenko and Saliba, Timber could slot into the side with ease.
Arsenal’s drop-off in form following the injury to Saliba was no coincidence, as backup Rob Holding showed that he was incapable of replicating his crucial work on the ball, and Timber would go some way to improving the depth in this position, should a deal be completed.
