Jurrien Timber to Arsenal is the bargain of the summer

Two bomba’s in as many days? David Ornstein, you’re treating us!

After The Athletic reporter revealed that Arsenal have finally reached an agreement with West Ham for the £105m purchase of Declan Rice, he emerged on our Twitter timelines again to say that Jurrien Timber’s arrival is now subject to a medical and the finalisation of personal terms.

The Dutchman is expected to join the Gunners in a deal worth £38.5m if the ‘realistic bonuses’ that make up the add-ons are met.

While Kai Havertz’s arrival garnered plenty of intrigue and the significance of Declan Rice’s signing has been well-documented, the deal to acquire Timber is somewhat going under the radar. However, the 22-year-old could prove to be the bargain of the summer.

Jurrien Timber to Arsenal is the bargain of the summer

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Now, I must admit, there have been some savvy pieces of business conducted across the continent. Liverpool, for example, have done brilliantly to prise Alexis Mac Allister away from Brighton for £35m, while James Maddison joining those folk down the road for £40m is a bit annoying. Moreover, some might claim that bargains won’t come much greater than Ilkay Gundogan’s free transfer to Barcelona following his heroics last season that inspired Man City to the treble.

The mentioned above are more than strong competition for Timber, but the Dutchman’s age, talent, and potential under Mikel Arteta render him an even greater bargain.

The 22-year-old Ajax student may well be the most Mikel Arteta footballer on the planet. Versatile, courageous, athletic, and technically proficient, Timber is everything the boss appreciates in a footballer, especially in a defender.

The positional possibilities are endless for Timber at Arsenal, with his flexibility ensuring that Ben White, William Saliba, Gabriel, and Oleksandr Zinchenko should all be concerned with their status as Arteta’s first choice in their respective positions. While the impending new arrival is expected to be utilised at right-back, he could be deployed anywhere across the back four.

I’ve already delved into Timber’s technical brilliance here, and I’m not going to run through his unicorn profile again, but what has to be noted is the vast increase in security he will provide should one of Arteta’s starters succumb to injury or is in need of a rest. Instead of Cedric Soares or Rob Holding filling in, the Spaniard will have the Dutch international to turn to. Arsenal’s build-up will not be hindered, and their aggressive defensive line will not be compromised.

For less than £40m, Arsenal would’ve found it impossible to acquire a man of Timber’s profile elsewhere. This is a serious coup, and one when the Gunners are perhaps running off fumes down the stretch, that could prove crucial in a potential title challenge or battle for silverware.