Man Utd may have dodged a bullet with £40m Arsenal signing as Timber comments resurface

 Arsenal have moved to sign former Manchester United target Jurrien Timber as their second signing of the summer following Kai Havertz, after the Red Devils seemingly dropped their interest in the former Ajax star. The 22-year-old was seemingly set for a move to Old Trafford a year ago, however, but has instead joined up with Mikel Arteta in north London.

The Gunners had little rival interest in Timber, despite United wanting to sign the defender a year ago to join Erik ten Hag, Lisandro Martinez and Anthony in making the same move from Ajax. Though the Eredivisie giant dug their heels in and insisted a fourth man would not follow.

United did not step up interest despite Timber hinting that he could be on the move and that a transfer was “getting closer and closer”. This forced the defender to backtrack his comments and continue to suggest that he was fully committed to Ajax, before Arsenal instead of United pushed to complete a transfer.

“Of course, we [Ajax] didn’t perform well this season,” Timber told Ziggo Sports in May. “And that’s why I’m not shouting that I want to leave. I said ‘no’ to really big clubs last season. So I never feel like it’s time to go.

“But, you don’t know what next season will be like. Things were said to me at the beginning of the season that didn’t come true this season. I don’t know what it will be like next season either, so staying at Ajax this summer is not ruled out, no.