‘I’m just thankful’ – Bukayo Saka reacts to touching message from Jurrien Timber
Jurrien Timber shared a heartfelt message to which Bukayo Saka reacted as the defender continues his recovery from injury.
The Dutchman arrived in North London as a highly sought-after defensive option capable of playing at both right-back and centre-back.
And whilst Timber has impressed since joining Arsenal, his development has been stunted by a series of injury issues.
In the 2023/24 season, the 24-year-old suffered an ACL tear, ruling him out for the best part of a year as he missed 53 games for club and country.
Timber’s injury issues have continued to plague him, and the ex-Feyenoord man missed a further 13 games last term due to a variety of smaller injuries.
Jurrien Timber ‘thankful’ to be back in Arsenal training
Arsenal fell to a 1-0 defeat to North London rivals Tottenham in a pre-season friendly on Thursday, 31 July.
And whilst Timber was unable to participate, Mikel Arteta predicted that he would be fit for the 2025/26 curtain raiser against Man United on 17 August [The Standard].
The Netherlands international shared an image of himself on Instagram, captioned: “Just thankful to be back training with the team.”
Saka reacted to the post by liking it, showing his support for his stricken teammate.
Arsenal looking to put injury-hit campaign behind them
Football Insider Verdict
Man City‘s collapse last term gave Arsenal the perfect opportunity to claim their first Premier League crown since 2004.
But injuries became the ultimate stumbling block for the Gunners, as Liverpool left the North London side in a trail of dust.
The issues became so bad that Mikel Merino spent time as a makeshift number nine as Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, and Bukayo Saka missed prolonged periods.
This summer, the message has been clear. Injuries should no longer be the defining factor for a club as big as Arsenal.
And that has been addressed in the transfer market. Viktor Gyokeres, Martin Zubimendi, and Noni Madueke will not only add quality, but also depth, in case of another crisis like last season.
With a deeper squad and several positional issues addressed, it’s over to you, Mikel Arteta, to prove you have what it takes.