Arsenal have completed the signing of Jurrien Timber from Ajax for a fee of £40million.
The Dutchman becomes the Gunners second signing of the summer transfer window following the arrival of Kai Havertz from Chelsea last month.
Timber, 22, has signed a multi-year deal with the club after Arsenal made a fresh bid for the defender last week. Their initial £30m bid for the defender had been turned down.
Ajax had been holding out for a deal closer to £50m for the 22-year-old but the player’s desire to move to north London saw the two clubs reach an agreement.
‘Growing up in Utrecht we all dreamed of being football players,’ said Timber.
Arsenal have completed the £40m signing of Dutch defender Jurrien Timber from Ajax
Timber, 22, joins on a long-term deal from the Dutch side and becomes Arsenal’s second summer arrival
The Dutch starlet, previously a target for Erik ten Hag at Man United, will wear the No 12 shirt
‘When I watched games with my brothers when I was a kid, of course I wanted to play for one of the biggest and best teams in the world.
‘But I really had the sense that it had to be a team who plays in the right way, a club that has the right values, that develops young talent and has an unbreakable bond with its supporters.
‘And now that I’m here, I feel at home already. Something special is happening here, and I want to be part of it. Now, let’s get to work.’
The defender is a product of Ajax’s successful academy and was voted Eredivisie Player of the Year in 2021-22 as he helped the Dutch side win the league championship.
It was that form that saw Timber linked with a move to Manchester United last summer, alongside former boss Erik ten Hag. However, despite the Red Devils making significant strides towards signing the defender, Timber ultimately rejected the move.
Last season he made 47 appearances for Ajax across all competitions and scored two goals.
Timber has 15 caps for the Netherlands since making his debut for the national team in 2021 and was part of the Dutch squad at the 2022 World Cup.
The versatile defender can play at centre-back or at right-back and his arrival could mean possible moves out of the Emirates for Kieran Tierney and Rob Holding.
With the signing of Timber secured, Arsenal will now look to complete the capture of Declan Rice from West Ham.
The England midfielder was left out of the Hammers kit launch materials for the new season and is expected to seal a British record £110m transfer to Arsenal this week.
Mikel Arteta has already splashed the cash on Kai Havertz and now welcomes Timber
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