Manchester United Start Negotiations With Ajax Defender Jurrien Timber

With Erik Ten Hag’s appointment completed last week, Manchester United have now turned their attention to Ajax defender Jurrien Timber. Manchester United are looking to bring in a centre-back this summer to pair up with Raphael Varane and have shortlisted the Dutch defender as a potential target.

The transition of interim manager, Ralf Rangnick, at the end of the season to an administrative role will signal the beginning of the Ten Hag era. The Dutch manager is currently busy guiding his Ajax side to their third consecutive Eredivisie title.

United have prioritised signing a holding midfielder in the summer, with the likes of Nemanja Matic and Paul Pogba leaving at the end of this season as free agents. But another area which has come under great scrutiny is the centre-back position, with Raphael Varane being the only defender to cement a place.

Maguire, who was signed from Leicester City for £85m has turned out to be a massive failure. Moreover, the players have started to question his captaincy and control over the dressing room. Jurrien Timber would be an ideal signing since he has already played under Ten Hag and has done extremely well in the Eredivisie this season.

It was earlier reported this month by Sports Illustrated that Manchester United are set to hold transfer talks with Jurrien Timber. Now, again Sports Illustrated report that talks are progressing with the Dutch defender steadily over a possible transfer to Old Trafford this summer.

The report states incoming manager Erik ten Hag is a huge admirer of the 20-year-old and has outlined him as one of his primary targets for next season. The Dutch manager believes Timber is ready to take the next step forward. Moreover, having already played under him, the defender will take lesser time to settle in than any other centre-back signing.

Another Manchester United news source MUFCmpb exclusively reported that the club have began negotiations with the representatives of Jurrien Timber. The report also states the Dutch centre-back being open to a transfer to Old Trafford.

https://twitter.com/mufcMPB/status/1518232213275488256

A player’s excellence will be tested in multiple facets of the game when he comes to the Premier League. A ball carrying defender is an asset for any team and the Ajax player would be an ideal option. Meanwhile, the man has proved himself as Ajax’s crown jewel, but still has progress to make towards becoming world-class. He has a standard to match in the form of Virgil Van Dijk.

Player Profile:

Jurrien Timber is one of the contenders for Ajax’s Player of the Year. He has already got 6 caps for the Netherlands team at the age of 20. Timber is flexible and can play as a right-back and left-back, something which would benefit a Manchester United side consistently plagued with injuries.

Over the course of the 2021-22 season, he has racked up over 40 appearances for the Ajax team. He has provided three goals and an assist as well. Timber is a product of the Ajax youth academy which has produced legends like Johan Cruyff and Dennis Bergkamp. He joining the academy after impressing scouts in his hometown, Feyenoord, at the age of thirteen.

The 20-year-old made his debut in March 2020 against Heerenveen and immediately looked comfortable in that role. He had to play both at right-back and centre-back based on the needs of the team. He is a smooth operator with a passing accuracy of 88% at 61 passes per 90 as per FoottheBall.com.

Jurrien Timber for Holland, Manchester UnIted, Jurrien Timber — Image obtained via: https://twitter.com/mufcMPB

The defender has areas to improve with almost 1.7 tackles made and conceding 0.5 fouls per 90 causing an underwhelming 70% tackle rate. Timber is not the tallest defender and might not have the physical characteristics of Van Dijk, but will relish an aerial challenge if required. He has all the right abilities to be a strong leader in the future.

Verdict:

The one aspect which could stall the move is that Manchester United are most likely to qualify for the Conference League while Ajax will be playing Champions League football. Moreover, this could hinder his development at the top level as his squad role within United is not confirmed.

Jurrien Timber has congratulated his boss for landing the Manchester United job. However, he did not comment further on whether he fancies a move to Old Trafford. He was thankful for the influence that Ten Hag has had on his career from the beginning. Currently, he is concentrating on wrapping up his third consecutive league title for Ajax. Timber is certainly an option that excites Ten Hag with his limited transfer budget.

Follow AD for the Latest Transfer Updates for Manchester United