Arsenal confirm Jurrien Timber signing

Sporting Director Edu said: “We are very happy to bring Jurrien to Arsenal. He is a player that we have admired for a long time, so it’s a credit to everyone in our team that made this happen.

“Jurrien is a young talented international player, who fits our vision of competing with a young strong squad. I know Jurrien cannot wait to get started and we’re really hoping that he will be a great success here for many years.”

Manager Mikel Arteta added: “We’re really excited that Jurrien has joined us. He is a versatile young defender, who will fit into our system and provide our squad with so much added quality.

“Jurrien is a young player, but has already achieved so much. He has experienced what it’s like to go to a major international tournament on more than one occasion, as well as the trophies he has won with Ajax. We look forward to welcoming and integrating Jurrien into the squad.”

The defender held his medical and signed his contract last week, meeting his new teammates at the same time. But the Gunners evidently hadn’t completed all the formalities, and Timber temporarily returned to the Netherlands.

According to reports, Timber has now signed a deal lasting until 2028, and Ajax have officially confirmed the fee of €40m (£34.3m) plus €5m (£4.3m) in bonuses.

So, the total package could end up costing a little under £39m, up from Arsenal’s original bid of £30m but below Ajax’s initial valuation of over £50m.

Timber made 47 appearances for Ajax in the 2022/23 campaign, and he’s also a Dutch international, playing 15 times for the national team.

The 22-year-old is reportedly being signed as a right-back, despite his capabilities to play at centre-back or in midfield.

Mikel Arteta and Edu apparently believe Timber is capable of operating as an inverted right-back at Arsenal, playing in midfield when the team are in possession.

Oleksandr Zinchenko played that role on the other side last season, but Arsenal finished the campaign with Thomas Partey playing the inverted right-back role in Zinchenko’s injury absence.

Arsenal fans will now be keen to see Timber in action during pre-season, with plenty of chances for him to make his debut in a busy schedule.

Arsenal’s Pre-Season Fixtures and Results

1. Saturday, July 8th – Arsenal 1-1 Watford (Behind closed doors)
2. Thursday, July 13th – FC Nurnberg 1-1 Arsenal
3. Thursday, July 20th, 01:30 – MLS All-Stars vs Arsenal
4. Saturday, July 22nd, 22:00 – Arsenal vs Manchester United
5. Wednesday, July 26th, 03:30 – Arsenal vs Barcelona
6. Wednesday, August 2nd, 18:00 – Arsenal vs Monaco
7. Sunday, August 6th, 16:00 – Arsenal vs Manchester City

Times in BST