Gary Neville says Arsenal have a player who is close to being the world’s best

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Gary Neville has been singing the praises of one Arsenal first-teamer, saying he’s close to being the best there is right now in his position.

Neville doesn’t think every Arsenal player is the best, but he reserved special praise when talking about one of Mikel Arteta’s signings.

There isn’t a lot more Jurrien Timber can do to impress Arsenal fans, and the same can be said for pundits, as Neville spoke incredibly highly of the Dutchman after matchday eight of the Premier League.

Timber has earned high praise this season for his incredible form at right-back, with the 24-year-old impressing enough to be included in a best in the world debate.

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Gary Neville says Jurrien Timber is one of the best right-backs in the world

Timber was a point of discussion on the Stick To Football podcast, where Neville didn’t hesitate to nominate the Arsenal star as the best right-back in the Premier League at present. 

“Timber’s the best full back in the league at the moment,” he said.

The praise didn’t end there, however, as Neville then shared his view that after Dani Carvajal, Timber is the world’s best.

“I think Timber is almost, in my mind, I would class as being, do you know the guy that plays for Real Madrid?

“Carvajal. For me, he’s the best. And I think Timber’s the nearest to him at the moment, I see, in terms of being able to do that bit and do that bit.”

The pundit shared his appreciation for how Timber is able to get forward and keep the right side cut off to the opposition.

What makes Neville’s remark all the more incredible is that the Dutchman didn’t arrive at Arsenal as a right-back, having played the majority of his career at Ajax in central defence.

How many times did Timber play at right-back before joining Arsenal?

The idea of Timber usurping Ben White in the pecking order was fantastical when the defender arrived in 2023, but it’s quickly become a reality.

Whether White would’ve seen Timber as a threat when he first arrived is a mystery, as the Netherlands international was signed as a centre-back.

Before joining Arsenal, Timber made only 14 career appearances at right-back for Ajax’s first team, the last coming in the 2021/22 season.

It’s been a remarkable time for Timber at Arsenal so far, making his mere £38m transfer fee look to be an absolute bargain.