Arsenal are already one of the best defensive sides in Europe but are now set to become even stronger ahead of the new Premier League season.
The Gunners certainly can’t have ‘soft’ accusations levelled at them now.
Mikel Arteta has turned Arsenal into one of the best defensive sides in football, conceding just 29 goals in 38 Premier League games last season.
It may seem difficult for Arsenal to get even better defensively but Arteta is certainly trying.
HITC understands that Arsenal have agreed a deal in principle for Bologna defender Riccardo Calafiori after his impressive displays at Euro 2024.
Calafiori offers an option at left back and centre back, but Arsenal will also be in a position to welcome back a very versatile defender too.
Oleksandr Zinchenko on Jurrien Timber
Arsenal brought in Jurrien Timber from Ajax last summer, paying around £38million to bring the Dutchman to North London.
Timber arrived as a centre back or right back based on his time in Amsterdam but actually featured as a left back during pre-season games.
After starting in that role on the opening day of the season, Timber suffered a major knee injury and missed the rest of the campaign.
Now back fit and firing again, Timber is looking to prove that he deserves first-team minutes this term.
That won’t be easy, especially with Calafiori on his way in, and it may take a while before Arsenal see Timber at his best again.
Still, Timber is making progress this summer and has certainly made an impression on fellow defender Oleksandr Zinchenko.
Speaking to BBC Sport, Zinchenko admitted that he actually knew all about Timber before he even joined Arsenal.
Zinchenko feels that Timber is ‘unbelievable’ as both a player and a person, praising his humble nature.
The Ukrainian added that Timber is ‘working super hard’ in training and is ‘doing amazing’, believing that Timber deserves huge credit for his comeback.
“I knew him before he came to Arsenal. I played against him for the national team at the Euros. I knew him as a player. He is an unbelievable player and an unbelievable guy. He is so humble.
“He is working super hard. Unfortunately for him he just picked up an injury but he is doing amazing now. I was watching all the process, the way he was coming back from the injury, how much he was working. Chapeau to him and everything he has done. He deserves a lot of credit. I wish for every single player in the club to do his best. That is the only way to achieve a lot of things,” he added.
Zinchenko’s views aren’t a huge surprise as Timber is understood to have wowed Arsenal teammates last summer.
David Ornstein claimed in 2023 that Timber had ‘blown away’ staff and players before suffering his major injury.
Arsenal will hope to get Timber back to his best but that may impact Zinchenko.
HITC understands that Arsenal would be open to letting Zinchenko leave the club this summer, alongside fellow left backs Kieran Tierney and Jakub Kiwior.
Timber and the incoming Calafiori look set to take the left back role moving forward and Zinchenko may find himself as the odd man out as a result of Timber’s return.
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