Arsenal Manager Says Team Will ‘Adapt’ After Timber Injury
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said the team must “adapt” following the injury to new Dutch defender Jurrien Timber, ahead of their Premier League visit to Crystal Palace on Monday.
Timber, 22, who signed for 40 million euros ($43.52 million) on a long-term deal from Ajax Amsterdam, is sidelined after suffering a knee injury during Arsenal’s season-opening home win against Nottingham Forest and is set to undergo surgery.
“After just joining to have this injury is a big blow for him. We recruited him intentionally to add to the team and now we have to adapt and move on,” Arteta told reporters.
“He has been very good, to be honest. He’s a special character. He’s in a good place, so we are all willing to help him, but it’s going to be a long journey.”
“I’m thinking about the resources we have in the team but he would have given us different things on both sides of defence. It’s an opportunity for everybody. We need everybody,” he added.
Arteta has helped Arsenal qualify for the UEFA Champions League for the first time since the 2016-2017 campaign and last season’s Premier League runners-up this month won the Community Shield season curtain-raiser after beating treble winners Manchester City.
Arsenal have tried to add depth to their squad with new signings to challenge for the title again but Arteta said they do not have a number one in any position, while also not ruling out doing more business in the transfer window.
“It’s never my decision (transfers), it’s one we make as a club with other people involved. There are always other elements to that,” Arteta said.
“My focus is on getting the best out of the squad we have now. We are always open in the transfer market both ways.”
Arteta said he was hopeful that Ukraine defender Oleksandr Zinchenko, who has been out with a calf problem since May, will be available soon after joining the first team training.
