Ajax star absent from training as he nears Arsenal move

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta will be keen to add further reinforcements to his squad ahead of next season. 

The Gunners have already completed the signing of forward Kai Havertz from rivals Chelsea for a fee of £65 million, but it appears that the north London outfit are keen to complete more signings.

West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice has been heavily linked with a move to The Emirates, but it now appears that Arsenal could first complete the signing of another target.

Ajax star Jurrien Timber has been linked with a move to the club, and the Dutchman has now reportedly missed training with his current side.

According to AD via 90min, Timber wasn’t present at the Eredivisie side’s first outside training session of pre-season.

The report claims that the 22-year-old defender has been working individually at the club’s training ground recently, with Ajax boss Maurice Steijn not expecting the player to return to full training at any point.

Timber is expected to complete a £40 million move to Arsenal imminently

Arsenal reportedly agreed a fee of £36 million plus a further £4 million in add-ons for the player last week, and he is now said to be on the verge of completing the move.

The centre-back joined the youth setup at Ajax from fellow Dutch side Feyenoord back in 2014 and gradually established himself in the first team over the past few seasons.

In total, he has made more than 121 senior appearances for the club across all competitions.

Last term, Timber played 47 games for the club including all 34 Eredivisie matches, and also captained his side on one occasion.

Arsenal boss Arteta is keen to add defensive reinforcements to his squad after narrowly missing out on the Premier League title last term.

The Gunners’ end of season dip in form followed an injury to centre-back William Saliba, so it appears that Arteta is keen to bolster his options in the centre of defence.

Personal terms are already said to have been agreed between the player and Arsenal, with official completion of the deal expected in the coming days.