Arsenal's summer signing Eberechi Eze has singled out teammate Jurrien Timber as the "special player" who has exceeded all expectations at the Emirates Stadium this season.
Dream Move to North London
The England international completed a £60 million transfer to Arsenal in August after the Gunners hijacked Tottenham's deal for the Crystal Palace forward. Despite Spurs having agreed terms with both Eze and his former club, the 27-year-old opted to join the team he supported as a boy.
While Eze's personal statistics show two goals and two assists in 15 appearances, his contribution has helped Arsenal enjoy a sensational start to the campaign. The Gunners currently hold a four-point cushion at the Premier League summit ahead of Sunday's north London derby against Tottenham and maintain a perfect record in the Champions League.
Timber's Remarkable Impact
Eze, speaking on GOAL's Beast Mode On podcast, revealed that while most Arsenal players meet the high expectations placed upon them, Timber has proven to be exceptional. "Everyone is sort of what you expect them to be," Eze said. "The expectation of all the players is high."
"I'll say one player who has gone even beyond the high expectation I already had - because I'd heard good things about him - was Jurrien Timber. He's a special player and a special guy."
The Dutch defender joined Arsenal from Ajax in 2023 for just under £40 million but saw his first season devastated by a serious injury that limited him to only three appearances. However, since the start of the current campaign, Timber has established himself as a key figure in Mikel Arteta's squad, starting all 11 of Arsenal's Premier League matches.
Culture of Improvement
Eze emphasised the positive environment at the club, stating: "I think for me, in an environment of people and you have a culture that is geared towards improving, these guys all want to improve. So for me it's a pleasure to be part of it and to see guys like him who perform the way they perform, who carry themselves the way they carry themselves. It's inspiring, for sure."
The Arsenal defender's performances haven't gone unnoticed by pundits either. Before the November international break, Manchester United legend Gary Neville hailed Timber as the second-best full-back in his position, comparing him favourably to Real Madrid's Dani Carvajal.
"Jurrien Timber is the best full-back in the league at the moment," Neville declared on The Overlap. "I think Timber's the nearest to him at the moment, I see, in terms of being able to do that bit and do that bit, do the forward bit well enough, but definitely cuts everything off down his side."
Eze will hope to help Arsenal maintain their four-point lead at the top of the table when they face his former suitors Tottenham on Sunday in what promises to be a crucial north London derby.
