Jurrien Timber has confirmed he was holding conversations with Mikel Arteta in person whilst visiting England for the Manchester derby FA Cup final.
Jurrien Timber joined Arsenal from Ajax this summer, despite being heavily linked with a transfer to the Gunners’ Premier League rivals Manchester United the previous summer.
When pictures emerged of the centre-back attending the FA Cup final between United and Manchester City earlier this year, some United supporters grew excited that the deal might finally happen.
Instead, it turns out Timber was holding talks with Arsenal during that same visit.
“I was already a fan of the way they play, and after several conversations with Mikel Arteta, mainly via Zoom and during days around the FA Cup final between Manchester City and Manchester United, we met live and I was completely convinced,” Timber said.
“Of course, it was mainly football-related, but the coach focused on me as a person and clearly wanted to get to know me better. He also gave me an even better picture of the club.”
Arsenal have shown a willingness to invest significant funds in recent transfer windows, as the club push to compete at the top of the Premier League and in the Champions League.
But a consistent theme across those windows has been the impact of Mikel Arteta in convincing Arsenal’s targets to choose north London over the alternatives.
Jurrien Timber is the latest player to admit that a conversation with the Arsenal boss helped to make up his mind.
“Sometimes it is just a feeling,” Timber said on why he chose to join Arsenal. “The way they play, the way I talk with the trainer (Arteta). I just had a good feeling with it.
“I am living the dream, to be honest. I am still feeling like I am in a dream.
“It is a beautiful club. Look at last year. Of course, the previous years were beautiful but last year you saw a major step. The team grows and I want to be a part of it.”
According to reports, Timber signed a deal with Arsenal lasting until 2028, and Ajax officially confirmed the fee of €40m (£34.3m) plus €5m (£4.3m) in bonuses.
Timber made 47 appearances for Ajax in the 2022/23 campaign, and he’s also a Dutch international, playing 15 times for the national team.
But the defender is now an Arsenal man, and he’s made some impressive appearances in pre-season so far.
The plan appears to be to use him at right-back, despite his capabilities to play at centre-back or in midfield. Though he also played at left-back against Barcelona, so it’s hard to say for sure where he’ll end up.