EPL: Arsenal reach verbal agreement to sign Jurrien Timber for €47m

London-based club, Arsenal has reached an agreement for the transfer of Ajax defender Jurrien Timber. 

The Gunners have already confirmed the signing of Kai Havertz from Chelsea this week in a deal worth in excess of £65m, while they have agreed a British record transfer with West Ham for England international Declan Rice that will total £105m.

Arsenal’s opening €35m offer for Timber fell well short of Ajax’s €60m asking price.  De Telegraaf has now reported that the two clubs have reached a verbal agreement over a package worth €47m, made up of a €42m (£36m/$45m) fixed fee with add-ons.

Timber has already agreed personal terms with the Gunners. A deal in place for Timber will now take their spending in the July window to over £200m.

At 22 years old, Timber is a young and versatile centre-back, who can also play at right-back and even in defensive midfield.

It makes him similar to Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu, who have also operated across the backline at times for the Gunners.

Arteta played a major role in talks and had conversations with Timber, convincing him to snub interest from other Premier League clubs and join Arsenal.

Manchester United was interested in the youngster last summer and was earmarked by Erik ten Hag as a special talent.

The Dutch coach had worked with Timber at the Amsterdam Arena while he also signed his teammates, Antony and Lisandro Martinez.

With Rice’s record arrival, Timber’s deal will put him 10th on Arsenal’s all-time list of highest transfer fees paid, ahead of Alexis Sanchez, Shkodran Mustafi, and Granit Xhaka, but just below Mesut Ozil, Gabriel Jesus, Thomas Partey and Alexandre Lacazette.

As for exits, Thomas Partey and Emile Smith Rowe have been linked with moves away from the London club.