تحدث حارس مرمى فريق نادي الزمالك، محمد صبحي، عن كواليس تجديد تعاقده مع القلعة البيضاء، موجهًا الشكر إلى مجلس الإدارة.
وأعلن نادي الزمالك، بشكل رسمي، أمس الأحد، تجديد عقد محمد صبحي لمدة 4 سنوات وذلك بداية من الموسم المُقبل.
وقال صبحي خلال تصريحات عبر برنامج “زملكاوي” المذاع على قناة “الزمالك”: “جمهور الزمالك بمثابة أهلي، عندما يدعموني أريد أن أفعل كل شي جيد لهم، سعيد جدًا بتجديد عقدي وشرف لي التواجد في القلعة البيضاء”.
وأضاف: “عندما عدت من فاركو كان من أجل الجماهير وحب النادي، لا أتحدث كثيرًا أو أظهر في برامج، وانتظرت لآخر لحظة للتجديد”.
وواصل: “جلست مرتين لتجديد عقدي وثاني مرة وقعت على بياض واتفقت على كل شيء في نفس الوقت”.
وأكمل: “أشكر حسين لبيب وأحمد سليمان وعبد الواحد السيد ومجلس الإدارة بالكامل، أشكر جمهور الزمالك على دعمهم لنا ودائمًا، هم خلف النادي واللاعبين، كلنا نريد إسعاد الجماهير العظيمة، لا يوجد أحد منا يريد التقصير ولكن توجد أشياء تحدث رغمًا عنا تكون خارج الكرة وتجعلنا مضغوطين”.
وتابع: “من وقت ما علمت أنني سأكون متواجدا في النادي استقريت وركزت، انتظروني في شكل جديد وسأكون عند حسن ظن الجماهير”.
وأردف: “أنا من الشخصيات التي تحب اللعب تحت ضغوطات، كانت توجد ظروف في الفترة الماضية وكنت مقصرًا في حق نفسي ولكن ظروف خارجة عن إرادتي تعبتني نفسيًا”.
وأستمر: “لا أحب أن أكذب على نفسي وعندما أكون مقصرًا في حق نفسي أقول ذلك، لاعب الكرة يريد أن يكون مستقرًا نفسيًا، الله يكون في عون مجلس الإدارة الحالي، يعمل في ظروف ليست أفضل شيء ويحاولون أن يساعدوا النادي”.
وعن مباراة السوبر الإفريقي أمام الأهلي، قال: “سيكون شيء جيد لمصر أن كأس السوبر الإفريقي يجمع بين فريقين من مصر، مهم لنا كلاعبين ولنادي الزمالك، معظم اللاعبين تركيزهم على مواجهة السوبر خلال الفترة الحالية”.
وأتم: “البعض يقول أن الزمالك خائف من مواجهة الأهلي، نحن لا نخاف، كلاعبين وجهاز فني كنا نريد خوض مباراة الأهلي، لقاء مثل أي لقاء في الدوري بثلاثة نقاط ونريد المكسب، إن شاء الله في مباراة السوبر الإفريقي التوفيق يكون في صالحنا ونسعد جماهير الزمالك”.
Yorkshire are challenging the attacking mindset in four-day cricket that they believe is a detrimental consequence of the rise of Twenty20
David Hopps03-Apr-20182:40
Martyn Moxon has instructed Yorkshire’s batsmen to go back to basics
Yorkshire plan to revive the spirit of Geoffrey Boycott to try to address faltering Championship batting form that they believe stems from the negative impact of Twenty20 cricket.They have not quite run to a life-size statue of their most formidable batsman, there are no trenchant Boycottian judgments playing from loudspeakers in the dressing room, nor compulsory videos on hand of his most famous defensive knocks.But it may be only a matter of time.Yorkshire’s batting has faltered since their back-to-back Championship wins in 2014 and 2015 with the presence of their England duo Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow now a distant memory and those in possession, such as the talented opening pair, Adam Lyth and Alex Lees, afflicted by too many headstrong moments.While Root, as England captain, and Bairstow often extol the virtues of a positive approach in Test cricket, the fact is that England have not won a Test all winter. Yorkshire are taking the opposite view: Dig In will be the watchword.Martyn Moxon, Yorkshire’s director of cricket, said: “As our one-day batting has improved, our four-day batting has declined. I think enough years have gone by now to say there is a relationship in that and a lot of it, for me, is mindset. This desire to dominate, hit boundaries, is carrying over from T20 and we are finding it harder and harder to separate that from our four-day attitude.”Whereas specialists are becoming more common at international level, such luxuries are rarely seen at county level where financial imperatives insist that players have to adapt. Playing the three formats largely in independent blocks was meant to help, but that has not been evident at Yorkshire.”In the international game, there aren’t many batters playing all three formats,” Moxon said. “They are starting to specialise. But it is hard for us as countries because we can’t afford to have, as things stand, different teams. We are asking the lads to play three formats of the game.”I think with the right mentality it is possible to make that switch. But because of the proliferation of T20 competitions around the world, and the money available, sub-consciously at least, maybe even consciously, lads are wanting to be better at T20 than they are red-ball cricket. They see that as the dominant format of the game. The majority of their time is spent on T20 to the deteriment of their four-day skills.”Matters came to a head for Yorkshire after a dismal finish to last season when Essex, the Championship winners, thrashed them by 376 runs at Chelmsford, dismissing them for 111 and 74, the latter representing their lowest score this century. “As bad as I’ve seen,” admitted their coach, Andrew Gale.Geoffrey Boycott might like what he sees at Headingley•Getty Images
It remains to be seen whether Yorkshire can turn back the clock. But the squad, minus its international contingent, has been committed to a new approach since reporting back in November.Gale, who is about to begin his second season as coach, said: “I’d say it’s 90% mental to bat long periods of time. Obviously you need a good, solid technique to do that, but I see a bunch of batters at Yorkshire who are technically pretty good. What they need is the application and the mindset to bat long periods of time.”The message should be reinforced by the two overseas batsmen recruited by Yorkshire, the New Zealander Kane Williamson and India’s Cheteshwar Pujara, both of whom have the aptitude to ride out tough passages of play. Mark Nesti, the sports psychologist best known for his work in Premier League football, has lso been more actively involved.”You have to be prepared to bat for six or seven hours to make a massive dent on the game,” said Gale. “It is not just people struggling at Yorkshire . You just had to watch the Ashes in the winter to know that.”Boycott, of course, had plenty to say about that with barely an England batsman escaping a verbal roasting by the end of the series. So is a new Boycottian era about to dawn in the county that he dominated for so long?Moxon played the first dead-bat of the season, the first perhaps of many. “The intention is to win games of cricket. Geoffrey was a past master at scoring hundreds and that’s what we lack at the moment,” he said.
Tottenham Hotspur are currently reaping the rewards of what proved to be a relatively smooth summer of business despite the sale of talisman Harry Kane, with Ange Postecoglou's new additions helping to contribute to an unbeaten start to the new Premier League season.
Such astute dealings in the transfer market – including arguably the "signing of the summer" in the form of James Maddison, as per TNT pundit Joe Cole – have not always been commonplace at N17 over the last decade or so, evidenced by the fact that two former club-record arrivals, Davinson Sanchez and Tanguy Ndombele, have both been shipped off to Turkish giants, Galatasaray.
The at-times scattergun approach of chairman Daniel Levy – which famously saw the 'magnificent seven' acquired following the sale of Gareth Bale – was also best illustrated with the signing and subsequent sale of polarising right-back, Serge Aurier.
How much did Tottenham pay for Aurier?
The Lilywhites had been searching for a new option at right-back following the departure of Kyle Walker to rivals Manchester City on a £50m deal, with Mauricio Pochettino seemingly keen to find a worthy competitor to Kieran Trippier in that defensive berth.
Amid that quest to find a Walker replacement, Levy and co looked the way of Aurier despite the string of misdemeanours that the Ivorian had carried out during his time at former club Paris Saint-Germain, notably insulting manager Laurent Blanc in March 2016, while also being convicted of elbowing a police officer just a few months later.
Despite that back catalogue of controversy, the north Londoners opted to splash out £23m in order to sign the full-back in the summer of 2017, having notably racked up 15 assists in just 81 games during his time at the Parc des Princes.
That deal quickly looked like something of a mistake for those of a Spurs persuasion, however, with the 5 foot 9 enigma proving rather "erratic" in truth, as described by pundit Teddy Sheringham following his club debut.
How much did Tottenham sell Aurier for?
Despite enjoying a solid record of eight goals and 17 assists in 110 appearances during his time in the capital, the former Toulouse man was something of a rash and reckless liability at times, notably earning two red cards while in a Tottenham jersey.
That 'erratic' nature was particularly evident during the 2021 Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester City, with Aurier giving away the free-kick that led to the game's decisive goal, following a needless foul on Raheem Sterling.
That incident – which saw his defending branded "criminal" by ex-Spurs man Michael Dawson – seemingly epitomised his time at the club as a whole, with Sky Sports' Jamie Carragher subsequently dubbing the one-time Lens asset as "one of the biggest liabilities in Premier League football".
Following such a costly mistake, it was then no surprise that Aurier was moved on that summer amid the arrival of Emerson Royal, with Levy agreeing to terminate the player's contract a year early, thus seeing him walk away for nothing.
Where is Serge Aurier now?
Despite the criticism that the 30-year-old received during his four-year spell at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium – with Carragher branding him the type of player who would "put you off management" due to his "crazy decisions" – it only took 12 months for the experienced figure to return to English football, having joined newly-promoted Nottingham Forest last year after spending just a solitary season at Villarreal.
Bizarrely, it does look as if the £50k-per-week talent has proven a solid performer for the Tricky Trees after having been hailed as "a fantastic player with great quality" by teammate Chris Wood, following his brace of assists against Sheffield United earlier this season.
Across the last 365 days, he also ranks in the top 2% for both aerial duels won and clearances made among those in his position in Europe's top five leagues, as well as in the top 11% for tackles made, illustrating that perhaps improvements have been made to his defensive game under Steve Cooper.
Those strong showings at the City Ground will not, however, take away from Aurier's wretched record in north London, with his 2017 signing having proved particularly costly both on the pitch and financially for Levy and co.
Moeen Ali was a walking wicket against Nathan Lyon this Ashes
ESPNcricinfo staff08-Jan-2018Brisbane TestFirst innings: lbw b Lyon 38, double breakthrough! Moeen is given lbw. He’s called for the review but this looks pretty good. Pitches around middle, straightens a fraction. Hits him low on the front pad. No bat involved. It’s hitting the top of middle! (Umpire’s call, so review retained) 249/6Second innings: st Paine b Lyon 40, massive turn, and Paine whips off the bails! This one is going upstairs for the stumping…Moeen’s toe is on the line, but is there anything behind it? I don’t think there is. … this is a big call. The stump cam implies there might be a millimetre in it, but I think there’ll be a riot if this isn’t given. The decision is OUT! 155/6Adelaide TestFirst innings: c & b Lyon 25, flight and dip, it’s chipped back in the air, waaaaaaaaayyyy to the left of the bowler… only for Lyon to pluck a one-handed screamer! Holy smokes! That’s not nice, Garry, it’s sensational! Slightly loose from Moeen, done by the ball dropping on him, but the connection was firm and it brought out the Superman in Lyon as he soared to his left and grabbed it with the surety that characterises everything Australia do right now 132/6Second innings: lbw b Lyon 2, tossed up, Moeen goes to sweep and is hit on the front pad… Up goes the finger! Australia are cock-a-hoop but Moeen delays their gratification by reviewing; this is going to be close but the margins are in Lyon’s favour here. Sure enough, it’s just in line (umpire’s call) and just clipping the top of off (umpire’s call) – and England are truly in the soup! 188/7Perth TestSecond innings: lbw b Lyon 11, does him second time around! This looks a smidge quicker than the last ball, but everything else is the same. Pitches on a good length just outside off and slides on with the arm. Moeen plays for turn, gets beaten on the inside edge, struck in line with all three and walks off knowing not to review. 172/6Melbourne TestFirst innings: c SE Marsh b Lyon 20, super catch! Another wicket for not a great delivery. Short outside off, Moeen rocks back and doesn’t try to keep the ball down, drives in the air and it’s grabbed out of the air at short cover by Shaun Marsh 307/6Sydney TestSecond innings: lbw b Lyon 13, sliding on, raps the front pad – and given! Moeen doesn’t hang around, he’s not even interested in spinning the DRS wheel, Lyon has bagged him for one last time in the series! Looked pretty Tweedle Dum on first glance, Australia have their first of the day 121/5
West Bromwich Albion boss Carlos Corberan is lining up a swoop for a midfielder with Premier League experience to strengthen his engine room, according to reports.
Is Isaac Hayden moving to West Bromwich Albion?
According to Football Insider, Newcastle United outcast Isaac Hayden is being lined up by West Brom, Middlesbrough, Queens Park Rangers and Millwall after falling out of favour under Eddie Howe, with those clubs making the midfielder a top target.
Hayden is training with Newcastle United's second string and will be available to leave the North East on a loan basis amid interest from the Sky Bet Championship quartet.
Cited by Pink Un, Howe spoke earlier this year about Hayden and his teammate Jeff Hendrick not having a long-term future at the Magpies in an interview, stating:
"I had those conversations with the players last year about training away from the group, only so I could control the numbers I was working with. I don't anticipate that changing to be honest. They've done very well and been great servants to the football club and we certainly respect them. But sometimes you need a clear break and focus on the players who will play a part in the season."
Despite Hayden garnering attention recently, The Chronicle report that Newcastle United are yet to receive any formal approaches for the 28-year-old as his future continues to paint an unclear picture for all involved.
Southampton have been named as another potential suitor for Hayden as the transfer window draws closer to its final stages of market activity.
Would Isaac Hayden be a good signing for West Bromwich Albion?
Hayden, who shares the same agent as Baggies man Taylor Gardner-Hickman, is an experienced figure that has performed in exemplary fashion over the course of his distinguished career in both the Premier League and Sky Bet Championship.
West Brom could do with some leadership and tenacity in the engine room to help steer their campaign in the right direction and continue the momentum built in their victory over Swansea City and draw at Elland Road away to Leeds United.
Former Norwich loanee Isaac Hayden.
Last term, Hayden spent time out on loan at the Baggies' divisional rivals Norwich City; however, injuries curtailed his ability to make an impact, resulting in the £22k-a-week ace making just 14 appearances in all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.
Nevertheless, the Chelsmford-born midfielder still managed to make his presence felt in his short time on the field at Carrow Road, making 1.6 tackles, 1.1 interceptions and 1.1 clearances per Sky Bet Championship fixture in 2022/23, as shown on WhoScored.
As per FBRef, Hayden has also excelled in comparison to his positional peers across Europe's next eight leagues below the top five divisions on the continent concerning blocks, averaging 2.21 per 90 minutes across the last 365 days at the time of writing, putting him in the 99th percentile for this metric.
Former Arsenal striker Ian Wright labelled Hayden as "brilliant" back in 2021, and it is clear that his combative presence in midfield could be put to good use at the Hawthorns, so it looks as if a deal to keep an eye on over the coming days.
As Liverpool look to make an instant return to the Premier League's top four this season, Jurgen Klopp is still looking to add more reinforcements to his side before the summer transfer window slams shut.
The Reds have so far only welcomed Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai to first-team action, with Wataru Endo joining the pair this week.
Now, it seems as though they've turned their attention to a Ligue 1 defender.
What's the latest on Arthur Theate to Liverpool?
According to L’Équipe, via Get Football News France, Liverpool are interested in signing Stade Rennais defender Arthur Theate this summer, as they look to sign another centre-back.
The Merseyside club aren't alone in their interest, however, with fellow Premier League side Fulham also in the race to welcome the Ligue 1 man in the coming weeks.
Having only signed for Rennes last summer – joining the club for a reported €19m (£16m) from Bologna – it remains to be seen whether Theate would be in a position to make such a swift departure from the French club.
As things stand, according to Transfermarkt, the Belgian is worth just €22m (£19m), making a deal more than feasible should Liverpool push ahead with their interest.
With just under two weeks remaining in the transfer window, Liverpool are certainly a club to keep an eye on.
Should Liverpool sign Arthur Theate?
Soccer Football – Europa League – Group B – AEK Larnaca v Stade Rennes – AEK Arena, Larnaca, Cyprus – September 8, 2022 Stade Rennes' Arthur Theate celebrates scoring their first goal with teammates REUTERS/Yiannis Kourtoglou
Given the fact that Joel Matip is entering the final year of his Liverpool contract, Theate would represent a smart piece of business for Liverpool. The 23-year-old is a far younger option than 32-year-old Matip, handing the Reds a player with plenty of room to adapt and eventually improve their side.
Add Joe Gomez's injury issues on top of Matip's age, and it seems as though signing a central defender is imperative for Klopp this summer. The England international has missed 44 games in the last three seasons, becoming an unreliable option at Anfield.
Gomez's consistent absence could open the door for Theate, though, who has received plenty of praise during his relatively young career, including from Serie A expert Conor Clancy.
Clancy told Football FanCast last summer: "He's almost like a throwback in how he approaches defending. He's a little bit in your face, he can be a bit aggressive – if he bit someone I wouldn't be surprised.
"He's just an ugly defender, you'd hate to play against him because he could give you a smack. But when he has the ball as well he can play. He's a modern defender crossed with an old school defender in that way – I quite like him."
Statistically speaking, too, the Rennes man outperformed Gomez in certain aspects in the previous campaign.
Read the latest Liverpool transfer news HERE…
According to FBref, Theate made more progressive passes, more progressive carries, enjoyed a better pass completion rate, and made more clearances than the current Liverpool man last season.
Of course, for now, the Reds are yet to push forward with their interest in the Belgian, but it could be an interesting end to the transfer window for Theate if a Rennes departure does come into fruition.
South Africa opener Hashim Amla has been rested for the final ODI against Bangladesh on Sunday. He has been replaced in the squad by Aiden Markram.Amla, 34, was given a break after he scored a century in each of the two Tests against Bangladesh, and 110 not out and 85 in the first two ODIs of the three-match series. South Africa won the Tests 2-0 and have already taken a series-winning 2-0 lead in the ODIs.Markram, 23, had made his Test debut in the two-match series against Bangladesh, scoring 97, 15 and 143 in his first three innings. He then made 82 for a Cricket South Africa XI in a 50-over warm-up game against Bangladesh, and is now set to make his limited-overs debut for South Africa in the third ODI at Buffalo Park in East London.
Newcastle United are now ready to make an offer of €50m (£43m) plus bonuses to sign Juventus winger Federico Chiesa, who is also attracting interest from Aston Villa and the Saudi Pro League, according to reports from Italy.
What's the latest Newcastle transfer news?
Newcastle have already signed Harvey Barnes for a fee of around £39m this summer, but perhaps owing to Allan Saint-Maximin's recent departure, they seemingly remain in the market for a new winger, and there have been a number of players linked.
Napoli star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is one of the more high-profile players to have been touted for a move to St. James' Park, and journalist Ben Jacobs believes he would be a brilliant signing, saying:
"It would be an incredible bit of business if anyone can get Kvaradona – or Kvaratskhelia if we are calling him by his full name, but he’s known as Kvaradona in Napoli circles as they’re prepared to sort of mention him in the same breath as another Napoli legend Diego Maradona."
Back in July, it was reported the Magpies had submitted a proposal for Chiesa, and their interest in the Juventus winger has not gone away, with reports from Italy, via Sport Witness, detailing they are now ready to put forward an offer worth €50m (£43m) plus bonuses.
Aston Villa remain interested in signing the Italian, with clubs from the Saudi Pro League also in the mix, however, he has turned down offers from the Middle East, which seemingly don't appeal to him.
Juventus are not focusing on selling the 25-year-old at the moment, as they plan to keep him in the squad and offer him a new contract, but it is unclear whether an offer of £43m would make them reconsider their stance.
Although he is not interested in a move to Saudi Arabia, a transfer to the Premier League could appeal to the Juventus star, especially considering Champions League football will be on offer at St. James' Park next season.
How good is Federico Chiesa?
The Italy international was not one of Juventus' best-performing players in the Serie A last season, with an average WhoScored match rating of 6.59 ranking him just 15th in the squad, however, it is clear that he has a great deal of quality.
In the past year, the playmaker has averaged 0.42 assists per 90, which places him in the 96th percentile compared to his positional peers, and he also ranks in the 84th percentile for successful take-ons, showcasing his dribbling ability.
Lauded as "sensational" by members of the media, the former Fiorentina man played particularly well when he was paired with Cristiano Ronaldo, combining with the Al-Nassr star for six goals, and there were suggestions Ronaldo wanted Manchester United to sign him upon his return to Old Trafford.
Of course, that did not transpire, however, Chiesa could have the opportunity to move to the Premier League this summer, and he has proven could help take Newcastle to the next level ahead of their return to the Champions League next season, so it could be one to keep an eye on.
Manoj Tiwary watched from the dugout as the Rising Pune Supergiant middle order collapsed, losing five wickets for three runs, against disciplined wicket-to-wicket length bowling from Royal Challengers Bangalore. Runs weren’t flowing freely on a sluggish surface and it seemed Rising Pune would barely touch 140, which, notwithstanding the nature of the surface, is a score well below par at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.Even as the wickets fell, however, Tiwary had made a note of what he could expect when he walked out to bat. Shane Watson had executed a barrage of wide yorkers well against MS Dhoni. Tiwary, walking in to bat in the 17th over, however, did not have the time to line up bowlers like Dhoni did. He simply had to go from the first ball. It helped that he was in form and had scores of 40 not out and 31 in his two knocks so far.Royal Challengers had done well to control the first 18 overs, limiting Rising Pune to 132 for 7. Watson was called in to bowl the penultimate over and he dared Tiwary to swipe across the line in search of boundaries by packing the off side. Tiwary, however, had his plans set. Watson employed the bluff, repeatedly bowling full and wide, and watched his plans backfire spectacularly in a 19-run over.Watson began with a full delivery outside off, which Tiwary reached out and carved between cover and point. Then came a short ball that was signaled wide: the short delivery was now unlikely to be brought on again with the risk of it being called a no-ball. It became a question of Tiwary’s anticipation against Watson’s smarts.The third ball was right in the slot for Tiwary to swing, and he smacked it over cover for four. The next two deliveries were also fuller and were tonked over extra cover and the bowler’s head respectively, the last one going for a six. Tiwary scored 27 off 11 balls and Royal Challengers found that their potential chase of 140 had grown to a target of 162. The hosts eventually fell 27 runs short.”I was just trying to read the mind of the bowler,” Tiwary said. “I was observing what he [Shane Watson] was trying to do to MS Dhoni. He set a field and bowled differently. He got a wicket in the form of MS. For the kind of field set, I knew he’ll bowl similarly to me. Once the bouncer went for a wide, I knew he wouldn’t bowl another one. He bowled in my areas, he missed his execution and I was up for it. Pretty happy to contributed in the last phase.”One of the most important aspects of Tiwary’s batting this season has been his fluency at the crease, which he admits hasn’t always been the case in T20 cricket. Before the start of the IPL, his strike rate across 132 T20 matches stood at 114.75. This season, he has blasted 98 runs at a strike rate of 160.65. Rising Pune may have erred by sending Tiwary at No. 7 on Sunday, below Dan Christian, but he made sure his contribution counted.His enterprising knock helped the team cover up for a middle-overs’ passage when Steven Smith and Dhoni shared a partnership of 58 of 46 deliveries. “It was difficult for the batsmen but I felt that over of Watson obviously, he didn’t apply his brain to be honest, changed it,” Tiwary said. “The wicket was difficult to bat on. If there is moisture underneath, it makes shot-making difficult.”Tiwary’s start to IPL 2017 has been particularly satisfying. Last year, he went unsold at the auction and, hurt by that, he was forced to change his approach in T20s, where he hadn’t quite been sure of his role. Returning to the IPL fold, he said, brought with it a lot of pressure and the weight of expectation.”Strike rates have been at the back of my mind. Even in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, I wanted to focus on that since it’s the demand of the format,” Tiwary said. “I normally try and play the situation. The nature of my batting is such. My role is 50-50, at times I find it difficult to analyse how to go about my game. Couple of seasons ago at Delhi, they used me as a floater. If a wicket falls, I was asked to build. This year, I made up my mind, no matter what the situation is, I’ll look to play aggressively. That is the plan I had and it’s helping me.”
Arsenal’s negotiations with Ajax over their much sought-after defender Jurrien Timber “have been very positive,” and the player himself “wants to make the move to Arsenal”, claims Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth.
Arsenal transfer news – What’s the latest on Jurrien Timber
After falling just short of a first Premier League title in 19 years last season, the Gunners look set to add several quality players to their squad over the summer.
jurrien-timber-arsenal-ajax
One of those quality players looks to be Timber. The North London outfit are reportedly now the front-runners to land the signature of the 22-year-old defender, despite their opening offer of £30m being rejected, per the Daily Mail.
That rejection doesn’t seem to have made any difference to the club’s ambition, as transfer expert Fabrizio Romano reported on June 26th that Arsenal had made their “second official proposal to Ajax in order to get (the) Jurrien Timber deal done this week.”
In even better news for Gooners, the Italian reported that the player and club had “personal terms agreed last week on (a) five year contract.”
It isn’t the first time the Dutchman had been heavily touted for a move to the Premier League, as only last summer it was Manchester United, newly under former Ajax boss Erik ten Hag, that looked set to land the Utrecht-born defender.
Dutch journalist Marcel Van Der Krann told Sky Sports News that the move fell apart after Louis Van Gaal warned the 5 foot 10 dynamo that a move to United would harm his chances of playing for the national team in the 2022 World Cup.
What did Dharmesh Sheth say about Arsenal and Jurrien Timber?
Sheth highlighted the positive nature of the talks so far and the player’s overwhelming desire to come to London and be a part of Arsenal’s project moving forward.
Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, he said:“You’ll remember last summer Manchester United tried to sign Jurrien Timber but couldn’t get that one over the line. It looks like this one could end in a positive resolution with regard to Arsenal because they are pushing for him.
“Talks have been ongoing, talks have been very positive, as far as I’m aware. And all the indications are that Jurrien Timber quite significantly wants to make the move to Arsenal as well.”
Would Jurrien Timber improve Arsenal?
The first thing to stress about Timber is his positional versatility. During his time with Amsterdam’s biggest club, he has played in both the centre-half position and as a right-back, something that has surely piqued the interest of Mikel Arteta.
The Gunners employed a system last season that saw the right-back – often Ben White – come back into the central areas of the pitch and play as a third centre-half when the team was in possession. This would be a role that Timber would thrive in.
ben-white-arsenal
How does he stack up to Ben White, the player most likely to be his competition at the Emirates?
When it comes to the player’s goal threat, there isn’t much of a competition. According to FBref, the Dutchman puts up a seriously impressive expected goals number of 4.9 across 34 games, whereas the former Leeds and Brighton man can only muster 1.3.
However, it’s a totally different story regarding excepted assists, where the Ajax academy graduate amasses just 0.8 while White hits a respectable 3.2.
Netherlands defender Jurrien Timber.
Defensively speaking, it’s fairly evenly matched, with The Englishman winning 0.91 tackles per 90 to Timber’s 1.01, also per FBref.
With the deal looking like it could be finalised any day now, the Gunners should be able to rely on more quality reinforcements next season.