Arsenal’s Jurrien Timber ‘gutted’ at facing lengthy layoff with knee injury
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Timber damaged a ligament in his right knee, during the Gunners’ 2-1 win at home to Nottingham Forest.
PHOTO: AFP
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LONDON – Arsenal’s Jurrien Timber said he felt “gutted” after the English Premier League football club announced on Wednesday that the Dutch defender would be sidelined with a major knee injury.
The 22-year-old damaged the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during the Gunners’ 2-1 win at home to Nottingham Forest in their opening match of the new season last weekend.
A statement on Arsenal’s website said: “Jurrien will undergo surgery in the coming days and will be out of action for a period of time.
“The support and expertise from our medical team and everyone at the club will now be focused on Jurrien’s rehabilitation programme, to ensure he recovers well and is back playing as soon as possible.”
Timber joined Arsenal – bidding to go one better than last season’s second place in the Premier League – only in July, in an initial €40 million (S$59.2 million) move from Dutch giants Ajax Amsterdam.
He played in the Gunners’ penalty shoot-out win over Manchester City in the Community Shield before his injury against Forest.
Arsenal were unwilling to put a timeframe on Timber’s absence, as the player took to Instagram to thank the club’s fans for their support.
“Gutted to share my injury is more serious than expected, especially after the warm welcome I’ve received,” he wrote.
“I wanted to repay you on the pitch, which will not be possible for the forthcoming period.
“I’m blessed with a lot of great people around me. Together, we will do anything to get back as soon and strong as possible.”
Timber won two Eredivisie titles in 121 appearances for Ajax and was a member of the Netherlands squad that reached the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
He can operate at both centre-back and right-back and it had been hoped he would bring added depth to an Arsenal defence that struggled to cope with injuries to William Saliba and Takehiro Tomiyasu towards the end of last season.
Timber’s arrival came as a part of a pre-season spending spree that also saw Declan Rice and Kai Havertz join the north Londoners, with the trio’s combined transfer fees totalling more than £200 million ($347 million).
Arsenal, however, may now have to go into the transfer market again to get cover for Timber, with Mikel Arteta’s side looking to overhaul treble-winners Manchester City as Premier League champions.
The Gunners’ next match is away to Crystal Palace on Monday. AFP
