Arsenal have signed Jurrien Timber from Ajax for a reported fee of £38.5m.
He claims he loves the club, but then he's hardly going to say anything else is he?
In case you're interested - perhaps you want to get his numbered shirt - he will wear the number 12 shirt.
Seriously though, this looks like a good signing. I can't believe no one else has been challenging us for his signature. He can play right back or centre back. He's a little short for a centre back at 5'9", but as Lisandro Martínez has proved at Man Utd, it is possible to thrive in the Premier League as a centre back with being 6" plus.
Still, I expect him to play mostly at right back, though Arteta has emphasised his versatility - a quality he seems to covet in his signings.
He's only 22 years old but has already played 85 times for Ajax -winning the league twice - and 15 times for The Netherlands. For such a young player that is impressive, and again a typical Mikel Arteta signing - a young player with experience.
Will he be in the first eleven? I don't know. My guess is that he will be a squad player at the start of the season, but Arteta doesn't play favourites and if he does well enough when he does get chances, he could force his way into the starting eleven by the end of the season. In any case, with Arsenal being in the Champions League this season we will need a big squad and some rotation will be necessary.
So, welcome to the Arsenal, Jurrien Timber. May your career at the club be long and prosperous.
Picture courtesy Carlo Beuil, Creative Commons 2.0
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