Arsenal have completed the much-awaited transfer of Jurrien Timber from Ajax, paying £40 million, including add-ons, for the Dutch defender.
Arsenal have confirmed the signing of Jurrien Timber from Ajax. The Dutch defender will join on a long-term deal with the Gunners paying around £40 million, including add-ons. The versatile star emerged on Mikel Arteta’s list since the window opened, and now the club have secured his signing.
Jurrien Timber is one of Dutch football’s rising stars. A defensive phenomenon described by few experts, the 22-year-old provides a fluidity that would suit many modern teams. With increasing emphasis placed on tactical nous in football, the Netherlands international will come as a solid signing.
Arsenal have now completed a move for the 22-year-old, having agreed a fee with Ajax a while ago. The Gunners will pay around £40 million for Timber, including easily achievable add-ons. It’s not the money the Eredivisie giants expected initially, but the north Londoners may have got a good deal during negotiations.
Weeks ago, David Ornstein of The Athletic broke the news of Arsenal’s interest in the defender. Since then, negotiations have occurred between the two clubs, with Ajax initially demanding a fee of over £50 million. The Gunners also saw their initial £30 million bid rejected, which paved the path for advanced negotiations as the player wanted the move.
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Between then and now, Arsenal were simultaneously negotiating moves for Kai Havertz and Declan Rice and have managed to bring both those stars. The Gunners agreed on a club-record deal with West Ham for the England midfielder, while the German international was the first through the door from Chelsea.
Arsenal will pay £65 million, including add-ons to Chelsea, and announced the signing of Havertz a while ago. As for Timber, there was a clear need to strengthen the right side of the defense for the Gunners after their shortcomings in the title race last season.
There were links to many other players, including Ivan Fresneda and Mohamed Simakan, but once Timber became available, Arteta only wanted the 22-year-old. The Dutchman’s ability to play as a right-back and a central defender deeply influenced the signing.
His arrival allows Arteta to use Timber and Ben White in different roles depending on the situation. The Dutchman more or less completes the defensive setup for the Gunners ahead of the new season, as they may not even have to replace Kieran Tierney if he departs.
There are suggestions the Gunners will now focus on outgoings after bringing in all their primary summer targets. Once the unwanted players have exited, they might dip into the window for additional reinforcements, with the likelihood of signing another midfielder pretty strong, as per media reports.
