Will Ajax Defender Follow Erik ten Hag to Manchester United?

News has been developing quickly regarding Ajax sensation Jurrien Timber and a potential summer departure. The player has been linked with a move to Manchester United, claiming he could be named as the club’s and new manager’s first summer signing.

The new era has started at Old Trafford with Erik ten Hag finally taking up his post as the United boss. With him getting settled in, transfer business is well on its way for new incomings and outgoings.

As always, whenever a manager joins a new club the question that follows is: who is going with him? So far, they have been chipping away at acquiring all ten Hag’s coaching staff with Steve McClaren making a return and Mitchell van der Gaag following his boss.

So who else from the Dutch champions will be the next through the door at the Aon Training Complex? That would be the tackling monster, Jurrien Timber. Reports are making their rounds that they could already have a deal in place or that they are frontrunners for his signature.

The Evening Standard and other outlets reported of the agency Timber belongs to, tweeting about a “deal” being closed and a picture of the airport.

"agency Forza Sports Group – who represent Timber – added fuel to the fire on social media platform Instagram when posting a cryptic image from the airport on their Instagram Story.It contained the short caption: “Deal closing time…” and that post tagged in the agency handle.(Via: manchestereveningnews.co.uk)"

Manchester United have been in dire need of changes to their backline

If reports are on point and this is leading towards Jurrien Timber becoming Man United’s first summer arrival, this could go down as their best piece of business since signing Bruno Fernandes. He is exactly what United legends have been crying out for, for years.

There has been a need for a pacey defender with the ability to play one-on-ones easily; a centre-back that can play facing the goal or with his back towards it; a defender that can play with both feet and is versatile enough to play across the backline, as well as a protecting midfielder in the CDM position.

Manchester United This Season: (Before the Premier League Final day)

• Position: 6th Place
• Points: 58
• Losses: 11
• Goals Conceded: 56

Harry Maguire, ahead of Paul Pogba, will be regarded as the club’s biggest failure in the transfer market as they embark on their worst-conceding Premier League campaign, least points picked up, and most losses in a single season.

If the new manager cannot get a better version of Maguire going and they do complete the signing of Timber, Harry Maguire can shiver his timbers that his starting spot will be in jeopardy, and he could go from being the club captain to a bench player.

Jurrien Timber has only seen success at Ajax

The 20-year-old Dutchman has only seen success in his time playing under the former Ajax boss. They have two Dutch Eredivisie gold medals in back-to-back campaigns since breaking into the first team as a regular.

This season on their way to glory, of the 34 games played they have only lost three games, dropped points in eight, and conceded as few as 19 goals. Most importantly, he was available for 30 games, starting 29 of them while scoring three and assisting another two.

He would make a good addition to the team and having played with the manager already, would be one step ahead of his centre-back partners: Raphael Varane, Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof, and Eric Bailly.