Arsenal are now on the verge of completing a move for Ajax defender Jurrien Timber, according to Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg.
Is Jurrien Timber joining Arsenal?
According to a report from The Mirror, Timber believes he has an agreement in place with Ajax that will allow him to make the switch to the Emirates Stadium, having turned his back on a move to Manchester United last summer.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has recently revealed Arsenal are set to make another offer for the Ajax star, having already had one bid knocked back, as the player himself considers the project "perfect" for his aspirations.
Mikel Arteta is said to view the 22-year-old as a "priority target for this window", and the Gunners boss is now very close to completing a deal, according to a new update from Plettenberg.
Taking to Twitter, the Sky Sports reporter claimed the defender is on the "verge" of completing a switch to north London, as he "wants to join" and the verbal agreement is now "done."
Finalising the move now all comes down to the second official offer, and an "agreement is expected" for a fee of around €40m – €45m (£34m – £39m) plus bonus payments, which Plettenberg believes would be a "good deal for all parties."
"Jurrien Timber, on verge to join Arsenal! Bayern is not involved at this stage. The player wants to join Arsenal. Verbal agreement is done. All depends on the second official offer now. Agreement expected between €40-45m transfer fee + bonus payments. Would be a good deal for all parties."
What position does Jurrien Timber play?
The 5 foot 10 defender has most commonly been deployed at centre-back throughout his career so far, however, he is versatile and has made 49 appearances at right-back, another area in which Arteta is reportedly keen to strengthen.
Football Scout Jacek Kulig has hailed the Ajax academy graduate as "exceptional", as he makes up for his lack of height with his "understanding of the game, anticipation, pace and ball skills."
Last season, he averaged 1.2 interceptions per game in the Eredivisie, the joint-second highest figure in the squad, which indicates that Kulig is correct in his assessment about the Utrecht-born defender being able to read the game very well.
Over the past year, the Utrecht-born defender has also showcased his passing ability, ranking in the 99th percentile for passes attempted and his pass completion rate per 90, when compared to his positional peers playing at a similar level. Timber has proven that he is more than capable of making the step up to the Premier League, and it is exciting news that the deal now appears to be very close to completion.