Arsenal’s Jurrien Timber urges Ajax to sign ex-Manchester United loan star

Arsenal defender Jurrien Timber has urged Ajax to sign former Manchester United striker Wout Weghorst from Burnley.

Weghorst, who spent half a season on loan at United last year, made another impression as an impact sub for the Netherlands national side at Euro 2024 this summer.

The striker still has a year left on his deal with Burnley having spent last season on loan with Bundesliga side Hoffenheim where he scored seven goals in 30 appearances.

But Ajax have now been linked with a move for the 31-year-old, who Burnley signed for £12 million just over two years ago.

When asked about Ajax’s proposed moves for Nice midfielder Pablo Rosario and Weghorst, Timber told Ajax Showtime: ‘Those would be great acquisitions.

‘That’s an absolute winner, Wout. You can use him at Ajax. One hundred per cent.’

Timber also admits he was stunned by the state of Ajax when he returned to the Johan Cruijff Arena last September to watch his former club go 3-0 down to Feyenoord before the game was abandoned as angry supporters threw flares on to the pitch.

‘You could already see from TV that it wasn’t good. To see it live like that and experience it… then you realise: okay, the club has sunk pretty low for a while,’ Timber said.

‘It was actually that realisation on that day, that you thought, ‘wow, I didn’t know it was that bad’. At that moment it was really intense.’

Timber is now preparing for a new season with Arsenal after his debut campaign was heavily disrupted due to knee surgery last August.

The Netherlands international provides Mikel Arteta with a versatile option in defence and says he is happy to play in any position.

‘It doesn’t really matter to me where I play,’ said Timber.

When I play, I’m happy. I just want to play for Arsenal and shine, that’s why I came.

Timber revealed he was also keen to remain close to the team’s preparations during his recovery from surgery last season in order to aid return to the side.

‘This was possible on a tactical level and you just want to get to know the team better,’ said Timber, who returned as a second-half substitute in Arsenal’s 2-1 win against Everton in May.

‘Then you try to stay as close to the team as possible. I often went out for dinner with the boys and I kept to the same schedules, so that I saw those boys.’

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