Ajax defender Jurrien Timber is the latest player to be linked with a summer transfer to Arsenal.
The Gunners have been pursuing deals for West Ham United captain Declan Rice and Chelsea playmaker Kai Havertz in recent times as Mikel Arteta looks to significantly strengthen his squad ahead of the 2023/24 campaign. On Monday night, it emerged that Timber is also being targeted by Arteta as the Spaniard attempts to bolster depth in his side's backline.
The north Londoners saw a £30million bid for the Dutch international turned down by Ajax and football.london understands that they will have to up this number significantly if they are to prise the 22-year-old away from the Johan Cruyff Arena this summer. Now, De Telegraaf have reported that the player has also attracted interest from Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich.
But it is claimed that he would favour a move to the Emirates Stadium over the Allianz, a huge boost to Arsenal, who have also seen the aforementioned Rice and Havertz both linked to Bayern in recent weeks. The report goes on to add that Timber is 'certain' to leave Ajax during the summer transfer window, with Arsenal the most likely destination.
Timber is a versatile defender, more than capable of operating as a right-sided centre-back or even as a right-back, offering the kind of tactical flexibility that Arteta loves. The talented youngster's passing is one of his greatest assets, frequently inverting into midfield to help his side keep the ball and look for progressive solutions in central areas.
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None other than Dutch icon Marco van Basten singled Timber out for praise last year, thanking him for his form at both club and international level. Speaking last year on Rondo on Ziggo Sport, via Talksport, Van Basten said: "Ajax is playing great football thanks to Jurrien Timber and the national team is playing great football thanks to him too
"It's thanks to him that we are able to play so easy out from the back. Jurrien Timber is our biggest strength in defence.
"He always takes the initiative just like Nathan Ake while actually the best defender [Virgil Van Dijk] takes the least initiative of the three which is weird, that such a great centre-back does so little in the build-up. Timber is never panicking.
"If you are as good as Timber, you can always remain calm. Technically he is good enough and tactically he is also good enough. And that's why he is playing and Matthijs de Ligt is not."
