Mikel Arteta urged not to start ‘special’ Arsenal star in midfield vs Tottenham despite injury crisis

Rafael van der Vaart believes Arsenal have a ‘special player’ on their hands in Jurrien Timber, but has urged Mikel Arteta not to throw the Dutchman into a midfield role against Tottenham.

Timber joined the Gunners from Ajax last summer but saw his first season in England derailed by a an anterior cruciate ligament injury suffered on his Premier League debut.

The Netherlands star is now fully recovered from that setback and has earned a place in Mikel Arteta’s starting XI, slotting in at left-back having started in his side’s last two games against Aston Villa and Brighton.

Arsenal take on Tottenham in the north London derby on Sunday with the club reeling from a series of huge setbacks that have ravaged their options in midfield.

Martin Odegaard will miss the derby after suffering an ankle injury on international duty with Norway this week with Declan Rice suspended after his controversial red card against Brighton last time out.

Mikel Merino, a summer signing from Real Sociedad, is also unavailable after suffering a fractured shoulder in his first training session in the club.

It leaves Arteta with the options of Thomas Partey and Jorginho in the middle of the park, with Kai Havertz now thriving in his role further up the pitch.

Arteta suggested last month he could utilise Timber in a midfield role this season, an option the Arsenal boss could ponder ahead of Sunday’s trip to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

While van der Vaart sees Timber becoming a key player in the side capable of playing in a number of roles, he is not convinced now is the time to push him further up the pitch.  

Van der Vaart told Metro.co.uk: ‘I think he [Timber] can play everywhere. He played in a midfield role for Ajax in the youth teams, on the right and left. That’s the good thing about having him because you can put him in so many different positions on the pitch.

‘He is a great, great player. It was such a pity he got injured but now is the time Arsenal fans and England will see how good he is. He is so annoying to play against, he is quick, good with the ball, good without it, he is not that tall but he can jump like hell, he is a really special player.’

But asked if he could be a midfield solution against his former club Spurs,van der Vaart said: ‘I don’t think so. He has started the season well but he hasn’t played there in a long, long time.’

Timber featured for Netherlands in games against Bosnia and Herzegovina and Germany during the international break, joined by his twin brother Quinten as the pair became the first Dutch brothers to share the pitch since Frank and Ronald de Boer in 2003.

The Feyenoord midfielder is another of Dutch football’s rising stars with van der Vaart believing he will soon be snapped up by a Premier League side.

‘His brother plays for Feyenoord and came on for Netherlands. Quinten is more of a midfielder but they are both so strong on the ball, like little pit bulls. I would advise him to move to the Premier League. You would be spending tour money wisely.’

Rafael van der Vaart was speaking on behalf of BetMGM. Play the new £1million Golden Goals game this season by predicting Premier League scores at https://www.betmgm.co.uk. BeGambleAware 18+