When Erik ten Hag was announced as Ralf Rangnick's replacement at the end of the previous season, Jurrien Timber was one of the first players to be linked with a move to Manchester United.
The center-back was developed at Ajax by Ten Hag, and he and Lisandro Martinez formed a lethal defensive partnership as the core of the Ajax defense.
However, Timber chose to remain at Ajax rather moving abroad, therefore the move never happened. Martinez, an Argentine, was instead signed by United and has since become one of the best center backs in all of Europe.
Timber recently revealed that he was getting closer to leaving the Amsterdam team, suggesting that he might be prepared to transfer this year.
Whether United decides to renew their interest in Timber is still to be seen, but the United hero Jaap Stam has already voiced one concern about Timber in the wake of Martinez's success at Old Trafford.
“The intentions of the trainer are molded to Timber, but make no mistake: this is the Premier League,” Stam told Algemeen Dagblad, via the Daily Mail.
“There you can’t always be dominant, you have to duel much more against strikers like Harry Kane and Erling Haaland. Everyone with Lisandro MartÃnez was also curious about that. It turns out that he did it.
“With Timber, I just miss a certain amount of aggression – sometimes even being a little mean – in his game. That is also, for example, in giving the first blow before the real duels come. Martinez does. You can learn that too, but it has to be in you.”
Ten Hag's financial resources will determine if he can fill all the positions he wants to bolster this summer, but it's reasonable to think that a striker and a midfielder will be prioritized above a center-back.
However, if Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof both depart the club, signing a center-back might become a top priority. Right now, Maguire's departure is much more plausible.
Ten Hag prefers Martinez and Raphael Varane as his two center backs, although Varane's ongoing long-term issues and injury issues are serious concerns.
It's still very early, but Timber's price will have dropped from last summer, which may give United a chance.
What was heard about Jurrien Timber
According to Sky Deutschland, Ajax has a price in mind for Jurrien Timber, who is a target for Manchester United and Liverpool, if they decide to transfer him in the summer.
Timber has made it clear that he is prepared to leave Ajax during the upcoming transfer window, and the Premier League has been mentioned in connection with the player.
Last summer, Erik ten Hag wanted him to join Manchester United, but Louis van Gaal dissuaded him from doing so before the World Cup.
Ten Hag is still intrigued, but rival Liverpool, who plans to rebuild this summer, is putting pressure on Manchester United.
If at all feasible, Ajax would love to retain the defender for the upcoming campaign. They are however aware of the attention Timber is receiving and the defender's readiness to leave. And it has been revealed that Ajax would demand somewhere in the neighborhood of €50 million before deciding to sell the player this summer.
Jurrien Timber is eager to join a bigger club in the upcoming months, but the Dutch giants have made no firm bids. Ajax is a selling club, so if their asking price is fulfilled, they won't likely obstruct the Dutchman.
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