17 August 2023 , 08:51
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Mikel Arteta has hinted that Arsenal could dip into the transfer market after Jurrien Timber sustained a serious knee injury.
Timber will undergo surgery after picking up an injury to his anterior cruciate ligament in Arsenal’s 2-1 win over Nottingham Forest on Saturday. The Dutch defender was making his Premier League debut following a £38.5million transfer from Ajax in July.
He was signed, in part, for his ability to play in any position across the back line and his loss significantly weakens Arteta’s hand. With Oleksandr Zinchenko working his way back from an injury, Timber played at left-back against Forest and Arteta is gutted to lose him so soon into his Gunners career.
“It is a huge blow. Especially for him after just joining the club. We recruited him with clear intentions and what he was bringing to the team was evident,” Arteta said.
“I’m more thinking about the resources in the team to do what we want to do. But it’s true he was giving us a lot on both sides.”
Mikel Arteta's dream Arsenal line up as last-gasp January transfers are secured
Arsenal have spent over £200m in the transfer window to bring in Timber, Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and David Raya. But Arteta admitted they may be forced to change their plans to sign another defender and plug the gap left by Timber’s injury.
Jurrien Timber has an ACL injury (Getty Images) HAVE YOUR SAY! Do Arsenal need to sign a replacement for Jurrien Timber? Comment below.
“Well, we didn’t plan obviously with this injury,” he said. “We have to assess now what the options are, what the best way is to get the best out of the players we have. As I said, my biggest challenge now is to get the best out of the players we have.
“I cannot control anything that is not here. And we are always open and we have to be open and react if something happens, not only with an injury but with the market as well – and that’s what we are doing.”
Arsenal sporting director Edu has until September 1 to bring in any new recruits, but in the meantime Arteta is focused on their trip to Selhurst Park to play Crystal Palace on Monday. With Timber injured, he will face a decision at left-back between Zinchenko, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Kieran Tierney.
"He's been training with us and hopefully we are going to have him available very, very soon,” Arteta said of Zinchenko. Tierney did not make Arsenal’s matchday squad against Forest, with Tomiyasu coming off the bench for Timber, but Arteta insists the Scottish international remains a part of his plans.
“He played the final (Community Shield), no?” he said. “So a player that plays five days before in the final is part of the plans, for sure.” Asked if Tierney was disappointed to be left out of the squad to play Forest, he added: “I hope so.”