Arsenal find Jurrien Timber replacement after impressive international showing

Arsenal failed in their attempts to sign a defender in the final few weeks of the transfer window following Jurrien Timber’s injury. However, Mikel Arteta may have had the answer to his problems under his nose all along in Takehiro Tomiyasu.

Timber was widely regarded as a top signing by the Gunners when he was brought to the club from Ajax in July. A £38million deal looked to be a snip following his first couple of outings for his new club.

He quickly showcased his versatility by starting life in north London at left-back after mostly playing at either right-back or centre-back at Ajax. However, an anterior cruciate knee ligament injury suffered on his Premier League debut has cruelly ruled him out for much of the season.

Arsenal looked at their options in the transfer market but were unable to find a short-term solution that suited their needs. They still allowed Rob Holding to leave on a permanent deal for Crystal Palace.

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That meant Arteta was left with just six senior defenders until January at least. That number looks small, especially with the addition of Champions League football this season to add further strain on the likes of William Saliba and Ben White.

Arsenal will have to keep their fingers crossed and hope they don’t suffer any further major injuries at the back. But in Tomiyasu they have a player who can fill in any position.

Like Timber, he can play across the backline. Arsenal have rarely used Tomiyasu in a centre-back role and when they have it was mostly in a back three during his early days at the club.

Tomiyasu became a fan favourite at Arsenal at right-back but injury problems saw him lose that spot to White at the beginning of last season. He has had to play a bit-part role since then but could prove to be a valuable squad member.

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He has operated at left-back so far this season in Timber’s absence. But his performance for Japan against Germany on Saturday has given a timely reminder that he can play centrally too.

Tomiyasu put in a dominant display in Wolfsburg as Japan beat Germany 4-1 in a friendly clash. The 24-year-old dealt admirably with Germany’s attacking talent in a back four alongside Kou Itakura.

Tomiyasu will rarely play as a centre-back if the likes of Saliba, White and Gabriel stay fit. The majority of his time at club level will be at full-back.

However, Arsenal need options as they hunt success on the domestic and continental stage. Timber’s absence is a big blow but Tomiyasu has proved to Arteta that he can stand up and fill the void.

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