06 July 2023 , 10:21
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Dutch legend Wesley Sneijder is worried Jurrien Timber will struggle in the Premier League because he "loses every header".
Timber, 22, is on the verge of completing a £38.7million move to Arsenal after winning several team and individual honours with Ajax. The Gunners will pay £34.3m up front for the Netherlands international, 22, with a further £4.3m coming in add-ons.
Timber will become one of the smallest centre-backs in the Premier League at 5ft 10 inches. Although Sneijder thinks Timber is a "really good defender", he's concerned the incoming Arsenal star will struggle in the air against English football's biggest strikers.
Timber is set to become the second smallest centre-back in the Premier League behind Lisandro Martinez at 5ft 9. Martinez was also told he would struggle in the air and that hasn't been a major issue for the Manchester United man despite a difficult start.
Jurrien Timber is heading to Arsenal (Getty Images)"He’s a smart lad and a really good defender," Sneijder, who played 180 games for Ajax, told Dutch TV show Veronica Offside. "But he loses every header and in England - against those wardrobes in the Premier League - that will be his downfall."
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Timber can also play at right-back and it's unclear where Mikel Arteta will predominantly use him. He could replace Ben White at right-back, or he could come in for Gabriel Magalhaes or William Saliba at centre-back.
Although Sneijder has his reservations, Rio Ferdinand believes Timber is a good signing for the Gunners. The Manchester United legend thinks Timber is "an improvement on what they've got" and has backed him to push for a spot in Arteta's starting XI.
Ferdinand discussed Arsenal's swoop for Timber on his Vibe with Five YouTube show. He said: "He’s quick, he can play, he’s good on the ball and he’ll be a good addition to their team. I think he’s an improvement on what they’ve got as well.
"I’d probably look at it and say Timber and William Saliba would play. But I think it’s a good battle there. If Timber comes in and they’ve got Saliba, Gabriel, Ben White and Timber as a four [centre-backs], I’d be very, very comfortable with that if I was Mikel Arteta."
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Arsenal need depth in defence. Their Premier League title challenge collapsed last season when William Saliba suffered a serious back injury. Ben White would've returned to centre-back if Takehiro Tomiyasu wasn't nursing a long-term knee complaint.
Rob Holding and Jakub Kiwior both struggled to replace Saliba as Arsenal kept just two clean sheets from their final 11 Premier League games, conceding an alarming 18 goals. In comparison, Saliba kept 11 clean sheets in his 27 Premier League games last term.
Timber is likely to be Arsenal's third signing of the summer after Kai Havertz and Declan Rice. German forward Havertz's has completed his £65m move from Chelsea, while English midfielder Rice is still finalising his £105m transfer from West Ham.