For many years, Arsenal’s owners were cautious about money for reinforcements, trailed after their transfer window competition and pushed the famous club out of the title race. And then, with the arrival of director Edu and coach Mikel Arteta, they decided to finally show their teeth, enter into an open fight with the heavyweights on the Island and spend huge money to create a team that will bring trophies back to North London.Perhaps the craziest 24 hours in the club’s history are behind the Gunners when it comes to transfers, as the club has agreed deals worth almost 250,000,000 euros during that interval! After Kai Havertz and Declan Rice, tonight Arsenal finally ‘defeated’ Ajax in negotiations for Jurrien Timber. Only medical examinations separate the third major signing from the red and white jersey of the London club. Let us remind you that Arsenal spent 192,000,000 euros on reinforcements last season. So, for two seasons, almost half a billion euros.##NAJAVA_MECA_7346739##Arsenal have long targeted Timber as a major reinforcement for the back line. The Ajax defender plays equally successfully in the positions of a sweeper and right back, although the former is his main position. He is good with the ball and in the passing game, fast, good in the air, can play in various formations… The Gunners first ‘seduced’ the player and agreed with him all the details of cooperation until 2028. And then the hardest part of the job remained to convince Ajax. The offer of 35,000,000 euros was flatly rejected in Amsterdam with the message that they will not let the Dutch national team player go below 60,000,000. However, Ajax clearly played the game and did not fall after the first punch. The bluff paid off as Arsenal returned today with an offer worth €42,000,000 fixed plus €5,000,000 in bonuses. Ajax gave the green light for the transfer and Timber is now expected to undergo medical examinations before initialing a five-year contract.200 million in a day: Arsenal signs Havertz and agrees Rice!Timber became a standard first-team member of Ajax three years ago. A child of Ajax’s academy, he came under the baton of Erik Ten Hag, who wanted to take him to Manchester United this summer, but neither Ajax nor the player were in the mood for a transfer at the time. Especially after national team coach Van Gaal’s suggestion that Timber should stay in Ajax if he wants to go to the World Cup in Qatar. Then he stayed, extended his contract until 2025 with a higher salary, but now was the right moment to sell.🚨 – BREAKING: Ajax & Arsenal have reached a verbal agreement for the transfer of Jurrien Timber for €42M which can become €47M with bonuses. [@MikeVerweij] pic.twitter.com/ruFm1Nj6Fr— 𝐀𝐅𝐂 𝐀𝐉𝐀𝐗 💎 (@TheEuropeanLad) June 29, 2023 We will see how Arteta will use Timber. Very likely as a right sweeper, where William Saliba has been standard until now, but he struggled with injuries. Maybe as a right back where Ben White played last season, also a stopper by profession. His alternative was the unconvincing Tomiyasu.With the acquisitions of Havertz, Rice and Timber, Arsenal completed the most of the job for the ongoing transfer window. The arrival of another central midfielder is expected if Granit Xhaka and Thomas Partey leave the club. The target is Romeo Lavia from Southampton, who costs around 45,000,000 euros, but he seems to be closer to Liverpool. We should definitely expect some more reinforcements in the heart of the midfield until the end of the transfer window. And that would be it. The backbone of the team for the future has been created. If it is known that new contracts have been signed by Gabriel Magalhaes, Gabriel Martinelli, Bukayo Saka, Aaron Ramsdale, William Saliba will do the same soon. It is clear that Arsenal have created the backbone of the team for the next few seasons.
