According to ɾєρօɾτs, Arsenal have ‘agreed’ a fee with Dutch giants Ajax for the signing of Jurrien Timber, who has previously been linked with Man Utd.
Arsenal are not messing around this summer. They have already signed Kai Havertz from Chelsea and on Wednesday evening, it was ɾєρօɾτed that an agreement has been reached between Mikel Arteta’s side and West Ham for Declan Rice, who will cost them an initial £105m.
Rice was always going to be Arsenal’s top target this summer after they missed out on Brighton’s Moises Caicedo during the January transfer window.
Butthe Gunnershave been pursuing players in several positions and Timber has emerged as their top defensive target. Man Utd wanted to sign him last summer but he єɴԀed up opting to commit his future to Ajax for one more year.
Arsenal have since moved ahead of their rivals in the race for Timber andthey ‘agreed personal terms’ with the Netherlands international earlier this month.
Dutch outletDe Telegraafare now ɾєρօɾτing that ‘only the medical examination stands in the way of the announcement of the dream transfer’ of Timber to Arsenal.
They note that an agreement was reached ‘on Sunday over a lucrative contract until the summer of 2028’. Now the two clubs have ‘agreed on an amount of approximately 42 million euros, which can increase even further to 47 million thɾօυɢҺ bonuses’.
It is also indicated that Timbercan now ‘pack his suitcase and fly to England’ with his medical tests ‘scheduled for the coming days’.
This is another ȿτɑτємєɴτ signing for Arsenal that would take their summer spent to around £200m. Ex-Spurs player Jamie O’Hara thinks they are “crazy” to spєɴԀ £105m for Rice.
“Do I think £105m for a centre-midfield player like Declan Rice is right? No – I think it’s crazy. Someone like Erling Haaland or Kylian Mbappe is worth £105m, because they’re match winners who are going to win you trophies and turn up in big moments,” O’Hara told Grosvenor Sport.
“I think Declan Rice is an amazing football player, but I also think £105m is extortionate. That’s just the way the market’s gone – an English midfielder who plays for his country and has just won the Europa Conference League, you’re going to be worth a lot of money. It’s ridiculous the money teams are paying these days.
O’Hara also thinks Rice would have joined Man City if the treble winners decided to match Arsenal’s £105m offer.
“If both clubs agreed a fee, even if City offered him less money, he’d still go to Man City,” he added. “He’s guaranteed to win trophies and he’s guaranteed to become a better player under Pep Guardiola, it’s as simple as that. Nobody can compete with Manchester City – they’re too good with Guardiola there, they’ve got too much money and they’ve got too many players there.
“If Manchester City come in and say, ‘Ilkay Gundogan’s gone and there’s a space available, come and play for the treble winners and the best manager ever,’ there’s only one place Rice would go.”
