No one will have foreseen the unfortunate injury suffered by Jurrien Timber in Arsenal’s opening game of the 2023/24 Premier League season, and as such, Mikel Arteta knows a decision needs to be made in this transfer window as to whether he should be replaced or not.
Timber joined the club along with Kai Havertz and Declan Rice, with keeper, David Raya, recently being added to a brilliant Gunners squad.
The ACL injury subsequently suffered against Nottingham Forest could well see him ruled out for the entire campaign in what will come as a huge blow to Arteta before a ball has barely been kicked in earnest.
However, the Spaniard was philosophical when discussing the issue in a press conference ahead of Arsenal’s next game against Crystal Palace.
“It’s a huge blow, especially for him having just joined the club to have the injury that he has is a huge disappointment for him,” he was reported as saying by the official Arsenal website.
“Obviously for the team it’s a big blow because we recruited him with clear intentions and what he was bringing to the team was evident and he’s not going to be in this season for us. We have to adapt, these things happen unfortunately, and we have to move on.”
Arteta was then asked specifically whether Timber’s absence would cause the club to enter the transfer market again whilst it’s still open, in order to provide cover.
“I am more thinking about the resources that we have within the team to keep doing what we want to do,” he added.
“It’s true that he was giving us very different things in terms of what we could do on both sides, but again, these things happen, and we have to be prepared for that.
“It’s an opportunity for everybody. We’re going to need everybody, and everybody is going to be important. The numbers that we have in the squad, especially in those positions are more limited now, so everybody has to be ready.”
It should certainly give confidence to the likes of Takehiro Tomiyasu and Kieran Tierney that they’re still trusted by the manager, even if the circumstances surrounding their potential re-integration into the Arsenal starting XI have come about as a result of Timber’s misfortune.
Such is football, when things can change in an instant and everyone needs to be ready, willing and able at a moment’s notice.