Jurrien Timber 'excited to play' for Arsenal after completing €40m move from Ajax

Dutch defender joins the Premier League club on a long-term contract

Jurrien Timber, left, was part of the Netherlands team that reached the 2022 World Cup quarter-finals. Reuters

Arsenal have completed the signing of Netherlands international defender Jurrien Timber from Ajax, the Premier League club announced on Friday.

Timber, 22, will cost an initial €40 million ($45m) with a further €5m worth of add-ons, Ajax confirmed in a statement.

The versatile defender won two Eredivisie titles in 121 appearances for Ajax and was part of the Netherlands squad that reached the quarter-finals of last year's World Cup in Qatar.

He can operate at both centre-back and right-back and will bring added depth to an Arsenal defence that struggled to cope with injuries to William Saliba and Takehiro Tomiyasu towards the end of last season.

“We’re really excited that Jurrien has joined us. He is a versatile young defender, who will fit into our system and provide our squad with so much added quality," Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said.

“Jurrien is a young player, but has already achieved so much. He has experienced what it’s like to go to a major international tournament on more than one occasion, as well as the trophies he has won with Ajax. We look forward to welcoming and integrating Jurrien into the squad.”

Arsenal missed out on a first Premier League title for 19 years last season after finishing second behind treble winners Manchester City.

But Arteta has been strongly backed in Arsenal's quest to end a two-decade wait to win the English top flight.

Kai Havertz has already joined from Chelsea in a £65m deal, while Declan Rice is expected to complete a move worth up to £105m from West Ham in the coming hours.

"I'm excited to play for this beautiful club, and I can't wait to start, and to see the fans obviously in the stadium," said Timber.

"I just like the way Arsenal play, it's a bit similar to Ajax's style and I like to play from the back. I can see a lot of similarities, especially in the way Arsenal and Ajax want to play."