Arsenal to hand Timber new contract following positive talks

Arsenal are confident that Netherlands international Jurrien Timber will sign a new contract following positive talks led by Andrea Berta.

The Gunners in the past six months have dished out new deals to a number of key players as they look to build a team capable of winning multiple trophies.

Centre-back duo Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba have both extended their stays, as have academy products Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly. Timber, 24, is firmly Arsenal’s first-choice right-back and has also filled in at the centre of their injury-hit defence in recent weeks.

Timber has become an important figure in Mikel Arteta’s set up and despite his current deal not expiring until 2028, he’s set to be offered fresh terms.

Jurrien Timber is set to sign a contract extension at Arsenal. (Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

According to the Sun, Gunners sporting director Berta is leading talks which began earlier this season. Timber’s regular partner on the right-hand side, Bukayo Saka, is also in contract negotiations with Arsenal, with only 18 months left on his deal.

Timber joined Arsenal from Ajax in 2023 in a deal worth up to £38million. After missing almost the entirety of his first season due to a serious knee injury, the Netherlands international has kicked on since his return.

Speaking about Timber in October, Arteta said: “The way he’s come back and what he’s doing for the team, it’s phenomenal. I think he’s a really good example of another one that hopefully is going to have a long career with us.

“I rate him a lot. I don’t know how people rate him, but hopefully a lot because when you’re talking about a total player, he has almost every quality that you want from a defender.”

The man himself has lofty ambitions at the Emirates, too. “I think we showed the last couple of years that we will always be fighting for the title,” Timber said at the start of this season.

“Every year, we’re trying to strengthen the squad in the summer as well. We have an amazing group, and we have a group that can do amazing things, and this is what we will strive for.

“We will try to give everything, and this season is not going to be any different. I think you can tell we’re close. It’s just that last step, isn’t it? There’s nothing more you can do than just fight for it and go for it all the way.

“I think we have the manager for it, we have the team for it and we have the club for it. That’s the reason why everyone is so excited to start again and give it our all, because we know we have a chance.”