Jurrien Timber was one of the most underrated defenders in Europe last season, with exceptional performances for Ajax. He then made the decision to move to Premier League giants Arsenal in the summer. It looked like the player will have a very good season for the Gunners.
But it all went wrong when Timber got injured right at the start of the season. He has not played a single minute since then, and there were concerns from fans that the player may not even feature again this season. However, a positive update has now been provided regarding that.
Mikel Arteta drops massive update on Jurrien Timber’s ACL rehab
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta had a positive message when he was asked about Jurrien Timber. Ahead of his side’s Premier League clash against Luton Town, he was asked about the player’s recovery. The Spaniard said that the player has already returned to the training ground, “He’s back training, he’s not far off, the thing is that last step, he hasn’t played any minutes.”
He further added that the player may need to play some games with the U-21 team in order to regain both his fitness and game sense. “Does he need a game with the Under-21s? Does he need two games?”
🚨🔴⚪️ Mikel Arteta: “Jurrien Timber is not far off, getting closer”.
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) April 2, 2024
“I’d say he’s got a good chance to play this season, yes”. 🇳🇱 pic.twitter.com/hVMoYWDRUk
When asked about his probable return date to the pitch for them, Arteta said he has a very good chance of it. “I think he’s got a good chance. I don’t know a percentage but he’s got a good chance and he’s going to push it as far as he can.”
Arsenal would not want to rush the player, and they would carefully assess him to facilitate his comeback. It will probably take some more time for him to become fully ready, and that means we could see him at the end of this month or next month itself. The fact that he is already training means he will return to the pitch once again this season.
What injury does Jurrien Timber have?
Jurrien Timber had only played 50 minutes into the new season against Nottingham Forest when he suffered an injury. It was later revealed that his ACL was torn in his right knee. It required surgery and this meant that he missed many months of action, having only played those 50 minutes all season. An ACL injury is the worst type of injury in soccer, and can often ruin players’ careers as well.
However, he is now fit enough, as reports have confirmed he has returned to group training in some capacity. This means that his ACL has now mostly healed. And yet, an ACL injury is very easy to repeat again, and that’s why the Gunners don’t want to rush him onto the field yet. Timber also has a history of being injury prone from his Ajax days.
Hopefully, Jurrien Timber can return to the pitch soon enough for the Gunners. Regardless of his return, Arsenal will now prepare themselves for the next Premier League clash against Luton Town tomorrow.
