Jurriën David Norman Timber, the Eredivisie Talent of the Year for 2021-22, will join Mikel Arteta’s side during the summer transfer window in 2023.
Jurriën Timber, Quinten Timber’s twin brother of Aruban and Curaçaoan descent, has spent five years at Ajax after joining Jong Ajax in 2018 and being promoted to the senior team in 2019.
Mikel Arteta has been desperate to bolster his Arsenal backline and appears to have found his top target in Timber.
The Gunners had an initial bid rejected, but are believed to be close to agreeing on a deal with Ajax for around £40 million after personal terms have already been agreed upon with the centre-back.
The Dutch club has accepted a fee of £40 million plus add-ons for Timber to join Arsenal, which means the defender could become the club’s second signing this summer after Kai Havertz.
Timber’s inclusion in Mikel Arteta’s squad will place him in the same category as Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu, as the 22-year-old is a young and versatile centre-back who can also play at right-back and in defensive midfield.
The Netherlands international, who has been playing a varying role in defence during the World Cup in Qatar, could be called up to Arsenal’s starting XI following the possible departures of Rob Holding and Kieran Tierney.
Tierney has been linked with a return to former club Celtic, as well as Manchester City and Newcastle, and Holding is said to be in talks with Turkish Super Lig outfit Beşiktaş about a loan move.
Jurriën Timber was outstanding in the central defence role at the end of the 2022-2023 season, joining Enzo Fernández as the only two U23 players to have 3,000+ touches across Europe’s top seven leagues.
