When a player like Declan Rice is being discussed as a potential arrival with figures stretching into the triple-million-pound areas it is easy to forget about the other business that is not only needed but that has in fact begun to take place. Arsenal have many needs this summer with central midfield just one area where reinforcement is a necessity.
Rice’s deal is massive, and potential failure in the move will see blame lie at somebody’s feet. However, there’s a strong argument that it is not the be-all and end-all for the summer and there’s always alternatives.
Arsenal have already agreed on a deal for Kai Havertz who will join the club for a guaranteed £60million fee, football.london understands. There is reason for excitement and intrigue over the deal but perhaps more questions than there typically is.
Yet, the other deal Arsenal are working on has gone so far under the radar and has been completely underestimated. football.london understands Arsenal are pushing to sign Dutch starlet Jurrien Timber from Ajax after failing with an opening bid in the region of £30million.
It’s important to stress just how highly rated the 21-year-old defender is, delivering performances which comparatively have been delivering higher metrics in many areas over the likes of William Saliba, Edmond Tapsoba and Mohamed Simakan. Manchester United and Bayern Munich have been amongst the sides keen on the player in this and previous windows and he is becoming an increasingly bigger part of the Netherlands senior national side despite his young age.
For Arsenal though the necessity of a player like Timber was huge. Last season the club missed out on a first title in nearly twenty years and that was perhaps somewhat down to injuries to both Saliba and Takehiro Tomiyasu.
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The likes of Rob Holding and makeshift roles for Jakub Kiwior and Thomas Partey couldn’t stave off the impending collapse of the title charge and the behemoth that is Manchester City steamrolled through the Gunners’ hopes. Adding a player like Timber who is primarily a right-sided centre-half but who has characteristics which suit the right-back role Mikel Arteta has cultivated with Ben White and Tomiyasu would be brilliant news
The emphasis is now on whether Arsenal can agree on the deal with the Amsterdam side. Ajax are known for their shrewd negotiating and the maximising of sales which saw the Gunners have to pull out of the race for Lisandro Martinez who Ajax were even able to push Manchester United up to £56.7million.
Yet make no mistake, if Arsenal secure their primary defender in Timber this summer, it might be one of the best deals of the window. Yet with all the attention on Rice, it remains very much a move going under the radar for the north London side.
