Jurrien Timber: Why Arsenal Want Ajax Defender

Arsenal are currently working on a deal to bring Jurrien Timber from Ajax to North London.

Reports have already surfaced in the last 48 hours, stating that Arsenal have submitted a bid of around £30 million for Jurrien Timber, but Ajax are holding out for more. An amount closer to £50 million is believed to be the fee that could persuade Ajax to let go of their star defender, given he still has 2 years left on his current contract.

So, why does Arsenal want Timber?

Composure

Apart from the obvious being they need better backups to challenge for that starting spot ahead of Rob Holding, Timber’s ability to maintain a level head on the ball even when pressured is very attractive to Mikel Arteta and Arsenal. He has put this on display for both club and country in recent years. His composure on the ball combined with his passing range make for a lethal combination, and a necessity for a spot in the Arsenal starting XI. For a team that values possession the way Arsenal does, Timber and his composure on the ball would be a welcome addition to the squad.

Age Profile 

Again, we saw it with Pep when he was in his early years at City – he bought young and developed the players over the years. Arteta surely sees this 22-year-old star at Ajax and envisions him in Arsenal’s backline for years to come, or at least in the squad depending on how he adapts to the Premier League. If Jurrien Timber can come good in this new league like his fellow teammate Lisandro Martinez, Arsenal are in for a proper player.

Durability

This is a very underrated trait that I’m sure every manager looks at ahead of bringing a player to the Premier League. A littered injury record can cause problems for any professional athlete, but coming to the Premier League, it can prove detrimental if not sorted out. Sure, some of that comes down to the medical and physio staff, and naturally some of that falls on the player himself.

Last season, Timber featured in 47 games across all competitions for Ajax, and featured in 4 of the Netherlands’ 5 World Cup matches in Qatar. What his durability comes down to is certainly a mixture of a few key factors, but this will be of interest should Arteta be able to lure him to Arsenal and a league that is known for horrid fixture congestion come Christmas time. Furthermore, the Gunners now have more fixtures to add to their list being back in the Champions League, something Timber also has experience playing in.

Intelligence 

Timber is known as a defender with immense awareness and understanding of the game. His positional sense allows him to push up onto the halfway line in defense, a spot he is found in as often as he is in his own third. His positional sense allows him this ability, and his anticipation of danger helps him to sniff out any potential risks before they develop. In Arsenal’s system, they are susceptible to counter-attacks, much like at Ajax as well, so Timber knows very well where to be and when to be there to minimize threats to his own goal. His recovery speed is something of note as well, with this aiding him when he needs to make up a few yards on an attacker.

What do you think, is this a good move for Mikel Arteta and Arsenal?