Arsenal lifted the Community Shield after beating Manchester City on penalties Sunday afternoon and one player shined throughout the match and promised more to come. Jurrien Timber started the high profile match at Wembley but succeeded despite the challenge he faced.
Gunners signed the Dutch player from Ajax earlier this summer, and the Eredivisie giants have requested $48m (£38m/€44m) for his signing. Mikel Arteta has given the green light for the upcoming transfer, and judging by his first performance over the weekend, he won’t regret it.
Timber is only 22 years old, but he shows maturity beyond his years when he takes the field. He is a versatile defensive presence and has been praised by Virgil van Dijk, who has performed internationally with him in the past.
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“I wasn’t nearly as far away as he is now. [at the same age]The Liverpool captain had this to say about Timber last year (via TalkSPORT). “I have nothing but praise for him. He is a great actor and a true professional. It has so much potential. I hope he can improve even more. Then everything will be fine, I guess.”
Indeed, Arsenal’s newest signing is used to being praised by his fellow countrymen. Dutch legend Marco van Basten has also praised him in the past: “Ajax plays great football thanks to Timber. It’s thanks to him that we can play from the back so easily. Timber never panics. If you’re as good as Timber, you can always stay calm. Technically good enough and tactically as well. good enough.”
Towards the end of his time in the Netherlands, Timber was deployed mainly as a centre-back and occasionally played as a right-back, but at the weekend Arteta fielded him as a left-back against Manchester City. The decision aroused curiosity at first as he is a right-footed player, but he did not face any problems during the competition.
Timber can play essentially anywhere on the defensive line, which perhaps explains why Liverpool only had to discover a few weeks ago if he was available.
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Jürgen Klopp is currently prioritizing the midfield department in the transfer market, and rightfully so, considering that James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Naby Keïta, Fabinho and Jordan Henderson left Anfield this summer. Added Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, but more needs to be added.
Still, Klopp also needs defensive reinforcements. Currently the Reds boss doesn’t have a cover option for Trent Alexander-Arnold when the Scouse defender needs a rest, and he also needs an option for the left side of his defense along with Andy Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas. forward rather than backward. Also, Joël Matip’s contract expires next year.
Timber could have been a plausible all-in-one answer for Liverpool’s recruiting department. He has the skill set to encompass Alexander-Arnold, while also taking Matip’s long-term replacement to the right of the team’s defense. He doesn’t have much experience on the left but is good enough to play there when needed, as he showed at Arsenal on Sunday afternoon.
Liverpool were linked to Timber earlier in the summer (according to the Daily Mail) but seemed reluctant to follow through on his reported interest, which effectively sums up much of the summer so far. Mac Allister and Szoboszlai are strong additions, but the Reds have watched a number of potential targets switch clubs over the past few months, from Joško Gvardiol to Pau Torres to Declan Rice and Edson Álvarez on the verge of joining West Ham United. Ajax this week (according to The Guardian).
Liverpool have a lot of work to do from now until the close at the end of the month, but they have already missed an inspiring signing.
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