Arsenal is reportedly nearing an agreement to sign Jurrien Timber from Ajax as they approach the conclusion of their transfer dealings in this window.
According to reports, the club has already reached a verbal agreement with Ajax and is in the process of finalising the necessary paperwork to make the deal official.
It is believed that Timber himself is enthusiastic about the potential transfer and eager to join Arsenal.
However, Dutch football legend Marco van Basten holds the opinion that Timber should remain with Ajax for one more season before making a move to a new team, suggesting that additional development time would be beneficial for his career.
He said as quoted by Football London:
“You’ve seen this year how difficult it is when you have to go it alone, now that you were among other defenders who were not so good. You had a different year than last year. Last year you were really good and this season you had a difficult season.
“I would really advise him to gain another year of experience in the Netherlands. If it’s a good year then I’d say, ‘okay [you should leave]’. If it is another doubtful season, then I would do another year.”
Just Arsenal Opinion
Timber is an exciting defender and has been on the radar of Premier League clubs long before now, but he truly should not expect to get the chance to play at Arsenal automatically.
He must fight for his place in the team, but it makes almost no sense for him to reject a move to the Emirates because he does not feel ready. Opportunities like this do not come all the time.
The kid think’s he’s ready, Ten Hogs his previous manager that promoted him to the A team thinks he’s ready, the gaffer thinks he can do the job, so why not the water?
With all respect Marco Van Basten, your judgment maybe a little off here.
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Jurrien Timber is a good player, but is he the player Arsenal need? Unless Saliba is refusing to sign a new deal and Ben White or Takehiro Tomiyasu are leaving; adding a center back who also plays right back seems like a waste of 45 million.
Arsenal currently have six center backs on the roster. Gabriel Magalhaes, William Saliba, Rob Holding, Jakob Kiwior, Aaron Trusty and Ben White.
Assuming Trusty goes on loan again and Rob Holding, the person Mikel Arteta and every pundit in England blames for Arsenal not winning the title despite not making a single error that led to a goal, also leaves; Arsenal stil have Saliba and Magalhaes as the starting pair. Perhaps Saliba’s injury is more severe or chronic than we know?
Tomiyasu was buried behind White at right back. Assuming that stays the same, signing Timber as a back up seems… unlikely. Will he play right back in place of White? That moves White to the role of back up to both right back and center back; but puts Tomiyasu out of the team completely.
Buying Timber is especially curious given that Kieran Tierney who got stuck behind Arteta favorite Oleksander Zinchenko, wants to leave and Nuno Tavarez, the third Arsenal left back, is widely reported as having his bags packed, a left back to play behind Zinchenko is a more obvious need, but Joao Cancelo, who is available, seems to be off the wish list, and Arsenal supposedly have an interest in yes another center back, Man City’s Aymeric Laporte.