21 June 2023 , 08:21
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Ajax defender Jurrien Timber has been urged to join Arsenal this summer as the Gunners prepare their second offer for the Dutchman.
Timber has long been on the transfer wish list of Manchester United, with Red Devils boss Erik ten Hag well familiar with the 22-year-old's strengths from their shared time in the Dutch capital. For the majority of last summer, it looked as if the Ajax ace was Old Trafford-bound, but a deal failed to materialise.
Despite that, United have retained interest and Ten Hag remains a keen admirer. However, they are now staring down the barrel of missing out on Timber to fierce rivals Arsenal, who are rumoured to have already agreed personal terms with the Netherlands international.
If Timber is caught in two minds over which Premier League giant to join, he has received some advice from a former team-mate in Urby Emanuelson, though he did go as far as to say his form suffered a slight decline last term.
"Timber has had a few good years," Emanuelson told Sport Witness. "Maybe a little less last season, but in my opinion, he is a very great talent.
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"I know that the Timber family is very good at planning the careers of the brothers. On the one hand, I think Jur is ready for the step. On the other hand, if you’ve had a lesser season at Ajax… I find it difficult to advise him.
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Jurrien Timber could swap Ajax for Arsenal this summer (Getty Images)"I would choose Arsenal. Why? They treat young players very well there. If you see how they deal with [Gabriel] Martinelli, [Martin] Odegaard, [Bukayo] Saka … They are all guys who are allowed to make mistakes and are made important at the same time.
"(He) has the potential to become the absolute top. That’s why Arsenal would be a good step. Arsenal is growing, they will build on that."
Whoever ends up landing Timber's signature, it is unlikely to come cheap.
The former Feyenoord talent recently penned a new deal at the Johan Cruyff Arena which now sees him tied to the club until the summer of 2027.
Arsenal's initial offer was thought to have been worth £30million, but Ajax are expecting significantly more before they sanction Timber's departure, potentially even double that first bid.
Gunners boss Mikel Arteta is desperate to lure him to the Emirates as it is believed he views Timber as a player that could be deployed as an inverted full-back in a similar fashion to Oleksandr Zinchenko on the opposite flank.