Man United transfer target Jurrien Timber has hinted that he could potentially be better served staying with Ajax to continue his development despite interest from the Red Devils.
The young Dutchman has been strongly linked with a switch to Old Trafford this summer as incoming manager Erik ten Hag eyes a potential reunion with his former player. The Red Devils are on the lookout for defensive recruits having endured a woeful season last term - a centre-back and right-back potentially on their shortlist heading into the summer window.
Timber of course would be an excellent acquisition having shown his immense promise both in the Eredivisie and Champions League under ten Hag. However, the player himself has admitted that it could potentially benefit his future career more by staying with the Amsterdam giants.
Speaking with Dutch outlet Telegraaf, he said: "Of course I can develop further there [with Ajax]. I am 100 percent sure of that. I don't feel like I'm done at the club. But I can also develop at other clubs.
“In the end, my gut feeling will be the deciding factor [over whether to leave or not]. The picture has to be right. You can go to a big club. But if you're not going to play there, it's better to stay with Ajax.
“And Ajax is also a big club. We play football in the Champions League and I play there together with the best players in the Netherlands. That is not nothing."
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Since breaking into the Ajax side, Timber has forged a reputation as one of the most promising young defenders in European football. Meanwhile his passing ability has also seen the 20-year-old catch the eye.
Whilst his performances have been an extraordinarily high standard - being key to Ajax’s Eredivisie success in ten Hag’s final season with the club - Timber has stated that he is still aiming to improve.
“Those are great statistics,” he said. “But I sometimes felt that it was my first real season with Ajax 1 [first team]. I have learned to play with aches and pains and I have started to perform more consistently.
“But I want to develop further. For example, I am not the tallest. That's why I train a lot on jumping, because I want to learn to head better. It is also a challenge to perform fairly consistently season after season. Getting better from a standard level. That is my goal.”
Timber still has over two years left to run on his current contract at the Johan Cruyff Arena. After breaking through into the first-team under ten Hag, he has gone on to make 74 senior appearances, as well as six for the Dutch national side.
