Arsenal are very keen on signing the Dutch defender Jurrien Timber, and his versatility is a major reason behind the Gunners’ interest in him.
Capped 15 times for the Netherlands, the 22-year-old is comfortable as a centre-back either in a back four or back three and also as a right-back.
Arsenal have already made a £30million bid for the highly rated youngster. They are not believed to have any serious competition for his signature, and although Ajax say they want £50m, it is thought he could be available for a fee in the region of £34m to £39m.
Here, Standard Sport assess how he could fit into Arsenal’s backline.
4-2-3-1
While Timber could line up alongside William Saliba in a new centre-back pairing in the 4-2-3-1 system that Mikel Arteta currently deploys, he would more likely be utilised at right-back, mirroring the tucking-in that Oleksandr Zinchenko does on the other side.
It would be an interesting signing if it does come off because Arteta would then have to decide between two players comfortable as centre-backs and right-backs: Timber and Ben White.
Timber is the younger and more high-profile name, but White was exceptional on the right flank for Arsenal this season. Either way, whether he dislodged White or Gabriel, Arteta would say such squad depth only makes their chances of a repeated title challenge more likely.
3-5-2
This is the system he played in for the Netherlands at the World Cup, where he operated on the right of a back three, alongside Virgil van Dijk and Nathan Ake. It is a role which has diminished attacking responsibility but is centred around passing and high defensive work rate.
Timber would be looking for passes into midfield, where potential signing Declan Rice, Jorginho and Martin Odegaard could receive the ball and get Arsenal moving.
3-4-3
A 3-4-3 would be a similar prospect for Timber, who could also have played for Curacao or Aruba instead of the Netherlands through his parents. In this system, there would be fewer options to pass to in midfield, with only two central midfielders.
However, Bukayo Saka would be playing his familiar wide-ride position, so Timber could play up the line to wing-back White ahead of him or, indeed, to Saka. Timber’s flexibility from system to system makes him a desirable transfer target for Arsenal, and — if they pull it off — would make him a shrewd signing.
