Arsenal receive injury boost as long-term absentee set to return 'soon'

It's good news on the injury front for Arsenal fans - one of Arsenal's star summer signings, Jurrien Timber, could be set to return from injury after spending most of the 2023/24 season on the side lines with a major ACL problem, according to the Daily Mail.

He was snapped up for a fee of £38 million back in July from Ajax, but has made just a single Premier League appearance so far. This could soon change, as Mikel Arteta is hopeful he can return sometime in March.

When asked about Timber's injury last month, Arteta said: "[Losing Timber] was a huge blow. Everyone could see from day one what he was going to bring to the team. The versatility, the quality, the leadership. And an ability we did not have in the back line."

Where would Jurrien Timber fit into the team upon his return from injury?

As mentioned by Arteta, Timber is a very adaptable player - he can play anywhere along the back line with ease. However, he is best suited to playing as either a right-sided centre-back in a back three or as a right-back.

As Arsenal are not currently using a back three, instead operating with a back two in a 4-3-3 setup, it is likely that Timber will slot into the right-back position ahead of Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu. What this means for White and Tomiyasu is unclear - the former Leeds United man could be pushed back into the centre, while Tomiyasu is likely to act as a defensive utility player who can provide cover across the back line.

He could also be played in the left-back position as an inverted full-back. Some fans have begun to question the defensive acumen of regular left-back Oleksandr Zinchenko - giving Timber a run in that role instead of the Ukrainian international could be a good way to shore up the Gunners' defence.