Jurrien Timber says he’s excited to get going at Arsenal after completing his big money move from Ajax.
The Holland international, 22, joins the Gunners to provide competition in the backline and is set to be part of the squad that travels to the USA on Sunday.
“I’m really excited, especially now I’m here,” he told Arsenal.com.
“Everyone is so nice and you can see it’s a big club. I’m excited to play for this beautiful club, and I can’t wait to start, and to see the fans obviously in the stadium.”
The 22-year-old arrives in England with a reputation as a ball-playing defender who is comfortable in a variety of positions.
“I think that I’m lucky to say that I can play as a central defender, as a right full-back, sometimes even on the midfield,” he explained. “I think that’s a good thing and I need to keep that.
PATREON EXCLUSIVE: JURRIEN TIMBER PODCAST 🎙
It remains to be seen where Mikel Arteta decides to field Timber but the player says the pair have already discussed his versatility.
“We’re on the same page,” he revealed. “I spoke to him a couple of times before I came here obviously and we had some good conversations.”
In welcoming Timber to the club, Arteta said: “We’re really excited that Jurrien has joined us. He is a versatile young defender, who will fit into our system and provide our squad with so much added quality.
“Jurrien is a young player, but has already achieved so much. He has experienced what it’s like to go to a major international tournament on more than one occasion, as well as the trophies he has won with Ajax. We look forward to welcoming and integrating Jurrien into the squad.”
Sporting director Edu added: “Jurrien is a young talented international player, who fits our vision of competing with a young strong squad. I know Jurrien cannot wait to get started and we’re really hoping that he will be a great success here for many years.”
You inspired our youth
You will do the same in London
You are #ForTheFuture pic.twitter.com/ALFd7hNur3— AFC Ajax (@AFCAjax) July 14, 2023
Loves being a versatile player? Is he the anti ainsley?
I look forward to seeing how he is used. Competition for Ben White at RB? Partey? Saliba? All three? We now have quite the collection of quality defenders. KT, Zin, Gabby, Willy, Benny, Tomi, even Holding and Kiwior are all capable of starting games in the EPL. And now we add Timber. That is 9 players across the back. Plus Cedric… Should be enough for all competitions if we are able to use them and rotate effectively.
You lost me after Holding
He lost me at Cedric.
Holding was a great presence in the club for a long time. Club has just moved past him. Please do not insult him, thank him for his service and wish him the best moving forward.
Zinny [Tierney, Tomi]
Gabriel [Kiwior, Tomi]
Saliba [Timber, Tomi]
White [Tomi, Timber]
Holding and Cedric are probably out. Fucking outstanding quality and depth. LOVE IT!
For sure when this kid scores his first goal he needs to stand there in the middle of a huddle and call out timber as the other 10 players fall to the ground.
I wonder how good a back 4 of Tierney, Kiwior, Timber and Tomi, would be
Saliba can and has also played rb, and white can also play cb
I know a lot less about tactics than many people here, but I wonder if just like we have to start getting used to a rotating squad, rather than just a starting 11, we also have to do the same with starting positions. I think MA would like all his players to interchange positions in match, not just the traditional positions that swap.
If city’s 2nd 11 gets you top 4 then you need these versatile players who fill 2-3 positions, without Saudi funds the versatile player is saving you forking out on an extra man
Yeah, I think you may know more about tactics (or, as we sometimes call it, “football”) than you let on.
I think we’re all more comfortable with a rolling starting XI than Arteta. Man loves a fixed starting XI. Although maybe that has been the case until now because he had serious reservations about some of our squad’s quality. Quality that is clearly being improved at every window..
Arteta loves winning. When we lost some of the starting 11 we didn’t win as much, we were at pace of a 68 point season towards the end of the season. If Arteta thinks a player can help the team win, he will play them.
it’s crazy another 1-2 years of patience from Ainsley and he would have been inverting into midfield like he always wanted…
Ainsley who couldn’t even be a regular starter for a relegated team full of kids? The same Ainsley who’s still a free agent?
I doubt that
Two more years of education in this system would have made him a hell of a player. Too bad really.
…or is he our own Joshua Kimmich in the making?
“Ain’tsley” was right there, too
Now we’ll finally get to see, if you give Odegaard Timber will he make Norwegian wood?
I owe my new name to you. Thank you, good sir 🙏🏽
Not Norwegian Timber? Happy to help either way.
Norwegian Spruce?
Wood*
*Chuckles in the style of Beavis and Butthead.
I wonder if your name is an homage to Billy Gallas of Arsecasts past 😉
I’m excited about this signing. Really happy to have this guy in the team, and what a beautiful farewell video from Ajax.
Yep super classy, never seen an EPL do that its usually just a “thanks and all the best” statement!
Wish we could go back in time and make a bye bye video for Nasri
It would be so X-rated, it would be banned from public viewing.
Nasri actually got a big standing ovation from the home fans in his last game. That 0-2 loss to liverpool Suarez scored in. Fabregas wasn’t playing for us waiting for a transfer, we all knew Nasri was leaving and he played central in the Fabregas role. He was by miles the best player on the field though we were woeful and when he came off there was a standing ovation with a resignation from the fans because we knew him and Cesc were off. In a week or two we were handed 8 on a plate away to United but… Read more »
Ajax loved the money from Josh. This is my explanation.
more likelt its the new regime at ajax trying to build some positivity after recent problems and low points in the boardroom and on the pitch.
Nah the ajax social media & PR team has always been one of the best when it comes to things like these.
Dumbfounded by this comment.
Ajax didn’t have to do anything.
As Vonnie said, very classy farewell video. Almost made me sad that we took him.
Just waiting for West Ham to top that video, in the coming days
😂 😂 😂
Just Sullivan and Brady faux sobbing into piles of cash
Arteta never stops looking to evolve this team so I wonder if he starts the season as our first choice right-back.
I kind of feel like if he’s as good as he seems like he could be there might not be as much of a “first choice” this season as there was previously, but more of a rotation of 5-6 players in the back 4, maybe some being preferred in the CL and domestic cups and others in the PL. Timber can come in for either White or Saliba, while Kiwior (who I think Arteta really likes and will have a bigger role this season) can come in for either Gabriel or Zinchenko. That way if something like the Saliba injury… Read more »
Good points though I wouldn’t expect much rotation in the first 4 games (or 5 if you include the Community Shield).
A fast start can be crucial, so a settled ‘first choice’ 11 would still be wise in that first block of fixtures.
That first block obviously being before the international break and before Champions League starts.
Agreed, I do think it will be more competition-dependent as long as everyone is fit. Reckon Timby will get some time to acclimate until the CL and/or cups start.
I’m sure that’s the plan
Glad we got him. Would have thought Man Utd might have had a better chance given that he previously worked with Ten Hag, but obviously he knew Arsenal is the best.
A fair few of ten hag’s former players don’t seem interested in working with him again (timber, de jong), and Ajax don’t seem keen to deal with him now that they’ve changed executives.
Fantastic signing. All the big teams of Europe were looking at him.
We are massive. Our pull is like A Scottish tug-of-war team. In kilts. All hairy.
As a true Ajax fan I must say that Saliba and Gabriel must be quaking in their boots, as Timber is gonna take their place very soon.
Every top level player wants competition. It will be a while before Timber earns Arteta’s trust in the big games. He can’t match either of them aerially, so it may be at White’s expense that Timber gets his meaningful minutes in the first couple months.
Glad this deal is done and excited to see him play in the US friendlies. Fair play to Ajax for the classy goodbye video and their nod to Arsenal.
this one now and rice likely unveiled at the match in LA in front of thousands?
Think the game would be up at the airport if that were the plan for Rice 😅
Welcome
Ben White could also be additional cover in the midfield as he has played the DM previously. Lot’s of flexibility with this D.
Personally I prefer a stiff D rather than a flexible on.
Guy that did that film of Timbers departure is up for an Oscar for short films next year, rumour has it Harry Kane’s departure is being directed by Quentin Tarantino on the theme of Inglorious Basterds
Disgruntled Hebrews bashing in heads with baseball bats? In that case, I can see Kane as the kneeling nazi officer.
He’s been haunted by that ghost child in an Arsenal top for months. In the end he had no choice but to sign for us.
I for one am in favour of our new spectral transfer trickery.
Whatever it takes!
The problem I have with versatile players is the fact that they might not be really really good at any of the positions they can fill…I really know nothing about Timber so i’d just take the back seat and see it all unfold….Can he displace Saliba? Can he displace White? Can he displace Partey? Those are 3 very good players/world class…I suspect will be number one on his target list, his qualities are best utilized at RB
No need to displace anyone, having 16 solid options instead of 12 means we can rotate instead of only making changes when we’re forced to.
Despite the comparisons I keep reading, Timber seems more Kyle Walker than van Dyke. Either way I’m really excited about this signing. This guy looks as powerful as Kolasinac.