Arsenal Secure Sensational £38m Signing of Ajax Maestro Jurrien Timber

Arsenal have completed the signing of Jurrien Timber, a defender from Ajax, for a transfer fee of approximately £38m.

The Gunners have agreed to pay Jurrien an initial amount of slightly over £34m, and he has officially joined the team on a five-year contract. The remaining sum will be paid in accordance with performance-related bonuses.

Timber, a product of the Ajax academy, has successfully undergone a medical examination and reached an agreement on personal terms. As a result, he is now ready to be officially presented.

Having made 160 appearances for the Eredivisie club, the Dutch player has been a desired acquisition for Arsenal for quite some time. He becomes their second signing of the summer, the first being Kai Havertz for £65m. In addition, Arsenal is also close to finalizing a £105m deal to acquire West Ham's Declan Rice.

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The Netherlands national team has awarded the 22-year-old player with 15 caps. Arsenal is acquiring Timber as a right-back, although he is versatile enough to also play at centre-back. Moreover, Timber has previously garnered attention from Manchester United.

Analysis: Why Timber fits the bill for Arsenal

He has represented the Netherlands in 15 international matches and was part of the starting lineup in four out of five games during the previous World Cup held in Qatar. Unfortunately, the Netherlands faced elimination in the quarter-finals, where they were defeated by the eventual champions, Argentina.

At just 22 years old, Timber has already amassed close to 200 senior appearances for both club and country. His combination of youthful vigor and valuable experience is precisely what Arsenal seeks in their latest signings.

Moreover, Timber brings a significant level of versatility and adaptability to the team. While his main position has been as a center-back in a traditional back four for Ajax, he often operates within a back three for the Dutch national team. Additionally, he can seamlessly fill the role of a right-back and even feature in midfield if necessary.

Those qualities are crucial for Arteta, who likes his full-backs to step into central areas in possession, and there are plenty of other factors to appeal to the Arsenal boss.

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Timber's passing ability is a big part of his appeal to Arsenal

Timber is considered a superb defender, showcasing his strength in tackling and aerial duels. However, his greatest asset lies in his exceptional passing skills. Timber exhibits remarkable control over the ball, and the statistics validate his crucial role in Ajax's gameplay.

In the previous Eredivisie season, Timber had the highest number of touches and passes among all players in the league. Additionally, he led in forward passes, demonstrating his ability to not only maintain possession but also break through opponent lines and initiate attacking plays.

Timber: I've always been an Arsenal fan

From a young age, my brothers instilled this in me. Naturally, I enjoyed observing the exceptional talents of Robin van Persie and Thierry Henry, making them my top players."

Mikel Arteta, the manager of Arsenal, expressed his enthusiasm for Jurrien's arrival, emphasizing his versatility as a young defender. Arteta believes that Jurrien will seamlessly integrate into our system, enhancing the overall quality of our squad.

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