Arsenal star Jurrien Timber reveals surprise family connection that led to £34m transfer, it was fate

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Jurrien Timber has enjoyed an exceptional first full season at Arsenal.

The Dutch defender arrived from Ajax in the summer of 2023 for £34 million, looking to eclipse the likes of Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu in the pecking order.

However, an ACL tear on his Premier League debut kept him out for almost the entirety of the 2023/24 season.

Returning to action this campaign, Timber has been one of Arsenal’s player of the season candidates, producing consistently excellent performances in his 47 appearances across all competitions thus far.

• READ MORE: Jurrien Timber reveals the two Real Madrid player shirts he swapped after Arsenal win as ‘best in the world’ claim made

Jurrien Timber says his family all supported Arsenal

Born in Utrecht, Timber spent time in the Feyenoord academy before joining Ajax when he was 13.

He’d by forgiven by Arsenal fans for pledging his allegiance to one of these Dutch giants, yet the versatile defender has revealed that he and his family always supported Arsenal.

Speaking in a PL Big interview for Arsenal.com, Timber claimed his oldest brother and mother were both Gunners supporters, and he merely followed in their footsteps.

“I think my oldest brother was an Arsenal fan, my mum as well, so you just kind of take over,” he said.

“We always watched Arsenal when we were young at home, and then you just become a fan. The players, I always like the style of the club.

“Then you get some kind of love for a club as well, which started really young.”

Timber was courted by Manchester United and Erik ten Hag the summer before he completed his switch to N5, but he ultimately opted to reject a move to Old Trafford.

It’s possible that the Netherlands international was already aware of Arsenal’s interest, and was waiting for a move to his boyhood club to materialise.

Jurrien Timber’s Arsenal statistics 2024/25

Arteta waxed lyrical about Timber in April, and for good reason.

In the absence of the injured White and Tomiyasu, Timber has taken the right-back mantle and made the position his own for the foreseeable future.

Exceptional defensively, the former Ajax man is capable of completely negating some of the most talented wingers in world football, being dribbled past just 0.35 times per 90 minutes this season.

Astute in possession, both with his carrying and passing, the only area of his game he could improve heading into next season is his output in the final third.

However, out of possession, there are no question marks, and he relishes playing against the big names.

Asked in the PL Big interview about his battle with Vinicius Junior over two legs, Timber responded: “Yeah, I think it’s fun to compete against the best. You can feel how quick they are and why they are the best.

“I think it’s good to feel that but you need good performances from everyone but I think as a team we are really strong and we’re a really hard team to beat if we’re together like this.”