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Arsenal: Gunners could sign Timber 2.0 in £23m sensation

The Gunners are on the lookout for another defender before the window closes.

•  Arsenal could sign a new defender after Jurrien Timber’s cruel injury blow.
•  A player from Barcelona is on the club’s radar.
•  Valued at £23m, the player has many similarities to Arsenal’s Dutch prodigy.

Arsenal’s hopes of competing across multiple fronts were dealt with a hammer blow just days after their opening clash of the season against Nottingham Forest.

Summer signing Jurrien Timber had looked at home in a red and white shirt since making the move from Ajax but picked up an injury and had to be substituted in that clash, meaning Mikel Arteta and co may well have to enter the transfer market again before it closes for business on Friday evening.

What happened to Jurrien Timber?

The Dutchman went down in the first half of that 2-1 win over Forest two weeks ago. However, the club’s medical department deemed him fit enough to walk out for the second period.

Sadly, the defender went down again shortly after the break. This time he was unable to continue.

A knee problem was the cause of his withdrawal and indeed, he now won’t play again for a considerable period of time.

Arsenal confirmed Timber had suffered an ACL injury, meaning he had to go under the knife before starting a long rehabilitation period.

When will Jurrien Timber return from injury?

It is widely expected that the 22-year-old will miss a large chuck, if not all of the 2023/24 campaign through his injury.

It has been suggested that ACL injuries typically keep a sportsperson out for a period of seven to nine months depending on the severity of the issue.

That would mean that Timber could return at any point between April and May. It’s likely given a lack of match fitness that May would be the earliest we see Timber back in action for Arsenal if his recovery goes according to plan.

Who could replace Jurrien Timber at Arsenal?

Reports have suggested that Arteta may well place his trust in young Reuell Walters. However, with the transfer window still open, Barcelona’s Eric Garcia has been noted as one potential option by Football Transfers.

Garcia left the Arsenal boss’ former employers, Manchester City, in 2021 to rejoin his boyhood club and has gone from strength to strength.

Aged 22, the same as Timber, there are many similarities between the two, meaning the Spaniard could well be the perfect replacement.

The 6-foot centre-back, who can also play as a holding midfielder or at right-back, boasts the same versatility that made the ex-Ajax defender such an attractive proposition.

Crucially, the “extraordinary” Garcia – as dubbed by Barca boss Xavi, also boasts the same technical ability, notably when it comes to his passing ability. Considering he learnt his trade in La Masia, that is hardly a surprise.

Indeed, according to FBRef, the young £23m-rated defender ranks inside the best 1% of centre-backs in Europe’s top five leagues for progressive passes, the best 3% for progressive carries and the best 5% for pass completion rate.

Timber, on the other hand, also ranks in the top 1% for progressive passes and the best 3% for progressive carries. His pass completion rate, which sees him sit in the top 2% across the continent, is even better than Garcia.

The parallels are clear, then. These two budding young defenders love to play on the front foot and love to play their way out of trouble.

Arsenal lost a great deal when Timber was ruled out for such a long period of time but in Garcia, they would land a like-minded player who can help to relieve the burden put on William Saliba’s shoulders.

It may also help to move Thomas Partey from his role on the right-hand side of defence into midfield again. That can only be a plus point as far as the Gunners are concerned.