Jurrien Timber Arsenal contract latest: Charles Watts delivers update as bold Premier League title claim made

Arsenal defender Jurrien Timber is in the top two or three right-backs on the planet, and the Gunners would have won the 2023-24 Premier League title had he avoided an ACL injury, Gunners expert Charles Watts has claimed.

The Netherlands international has become a stalwart of Mikel Arteta's team over the past two seasons, and Arsenal are said to be in talks with him over a new contract, even though his current terms still have three years left to run.

The Gunners are keen to tie Timber down to a renewal that reflects his status in the squad, though, and the former Ajax defender can expect a bumper pay rise with any new terms, which are expected to go through without a hitch.

Speaking to Sports Mole, Watts revealed that "all parties are pushing" for Timber's renewal to be agreed, and barring Paris Saint-Germain's Achraf Hakimi, there are few right-backs in the world who match up to Arsenal's flying Dutchman.

“Arsenal are very hot on rewarding players for their performances, their stature in the team, and Jurrien Timber is absolutely crucial to this Arsenal team," Watts said. "He’s been brilliant. Someone asked Mikel in a press conference is he underrated, and Mikel was like ‘well, I don't think he's underrated’, but he probably is outside of Arsenal. Very few people really realise just how good he is.

“Probably top two or three right-backs in the world at the moment. Hakimi's obviously up there, but what Timber, you can't beat him one-on-one. He's so good defensively and he's adding so much to his game now going forward. Won the penalty and at the weekend, had a shot saved, pretty much every single game he seems to be having chances now.

"All parties pushing" for Jurrien Timber to sign new Arsenal contract

“Maybe that telepathy that Ben White has with Saka and Odegaard isn't quite there yet, but it's growing, and he absolutely deserves a pay rise that puts him on the level of where he should be in this squad. It’s fair to say now he’s Arsenal's first-choice right-back over someone as good as Ben White - who will still play loads of football – but Timber has basically displaced someone who was irreplaceable at times.

“If this contract does get done, which I'm sure it will - signs are that all parties are pushing for it to get done - it'll be richly deserved.”

Timber's rise to fame in North London is even more praiseworthy given the devastating ACL injury he suffered on his Premier League debut in August 2023, which ruled him out for almost the entirety of his first season in red and white.

However, the 24-year-old battled back to play no fewer than 48 matches in the 2024-25 season across all competitions, starting 10 Champions League games and 27 Premier League contests amid Ben White's own injury woes.

Timber's lack of rest eventually contributed to an end-of-season ankle injury, but the Netherlands international is already firing on all cylinders this season, providing two goals and one assist in nine appearances and winning the penalty for Bukayo Saka to convert in the weekend's 2-0 victory over West Ham United.

Had Timber not ruptured his ACL in the first gameweek of the 2023-24 season, Watts believes that the Gunners would have ended their 20-year wait for another top-flight crown.

'Arsenal win 2023-24 Premier League title with Jurrien Timber'

“Arsenal absolutely win the title if Jurrien Timber stays fit that season," he added. "One point off, they had to do without him for a whole year, you think what that would have done to just have him in the team for a long time but also allow Ben White to not run himself into the ground.

“You can’t beat him, you can't get around him. That Newcastle performance, flawless. He was unbelievable. One of the toughest grounds to go to, up against Anthony Gordon – who’s given an awful lot of full-backs at torrid time - and he was brilliant.

“He’s done it at the top level, he does it in the Champions League, he is one of the most well-rounded defenders. It's a brilliant bit of scouting by Arsenal.

“I remember speaking to Jaap Stam when Arsenal signed him, and he was really, really glowing in his assessment of Jurrien Timber. He said that we signed a really top player, he's going to be excellent.

“Everything that he said to me has basically been proven right. Worth every single penny and the new contract will be richly deserved.”

Timber's expected renewal comes after the Gunners reportedly tied another key defensive name down to a new contract with a bumper pay rise, as sporting director Andrea Berta repeated a Leandro Trossard trick.

> Click here to listen to the full discussion on Timber's Arsenal contract talks