EPL: Arsenal confirms new signing Jurrien Timber needs surgery for ACL injury

Arsenal defender Jurrien Timber is now expected to undergo surgery after suffering an injury to the anterior cruciate ligament of his right knee.

The Dutch international signed for the Gunners from Ajax for £40 million this summer, and started both the Community Shield and Arsenal’s opening-day Premier League win over Nottingham Forest on Saturday, August 12.

He was however substituted early in the second half against Forest after sustaining a serious injury to his right knee. Scans confirmed on Wednesday, August 16, that it is an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

It is not known whether Timber suffered a full rupture, but the Gunners confirmed in a statement that he would be out for an unspecified period of time after his procedure.

A statement released by the club read;

“Further to detailed assessments with consultant specialists since Saturday, we can confirm that Jurrien Timber has sustained an injury to his anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.

“Jurrien will undergo surgery in the coming days and will be out of action for a period of time. The support and expertise from our medical team and everyone at the club will now be focussed on Jurrien’s rehabilitation programme, to ensure he recovers well and is back playing as soon as possible.”

The versatile Netherlands international took on an unfamiliar left-back role in the absence of Oleksandr Zinchenko, who has missed Arsenal’s first two games of the new season with a calf problem.

The Ukrainian is expected to make a full recovery soon, but Arteta also has Tomiyasu, Jakub Kiwior and the out-of-favour Kieran Tierney capable of filling in on the left-hand side.

Arsenal will return to Premier League action with a London derby, away to Crystal Palace on Monday night.