Arsenal star Jurrien Timber admits he is still coming to terms with the intensity of the Premier League
Arsenal defender Jurrien Timber has told Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf that his body is getting used to the intensity of Premier League and top-level football again after the ACL injury he suffered on his right knee in August 2023.
The Netherlands international required surgery and was out of action for nine months, and he is now gradually establishing himself as a regular for Arsenal.
Timber has featured in all the three Premier League games the Gunners have played so far in 2024-25, starting the last two.
The 23-year-old was withdrawn against Brighton & Hove Albion in the 80th minute after a knock to his right knee, but he is fine and is expected to feature when the Netherlands take on Bosnia and Herzegovina on September 7 and Germany on September 10 in their UEFA Nations League games.
However, Timber still has issues with the knee, revealing that it sometimes feels a bit stiff after a game or training, which could be the reason he struggled with a load-bearing injury and missed the friendly games against Liverpool, Bayer Leverkusen and Lyon in pre-season.
“The [injured] knee is stronger than the other one,” the Arsenal star told De Telegraaf.
“Sometimes it still feels a bit stiff after a match or training, but in my head it is no longer an issue at all.
“When I trained outside for the first time, I immediately threw myself into tackles again without any fear. You can’t just participate half-heartedly, because then things go wrong.
“My body has to get used to the intensity of top-level football and the Premier League again. It is much higher and tactically a lot is demanded of you. Your brain also has to work hard, especially during training and meetings, so that things are automatic in matches.”
Timber will be looking to return to action for Arsenal on September 15 when they face Tottenham Hotspur, and the stiffness he sometimes feels in his knee should relieve him completely in the coming months.
