Netherlands icon Jaap Stam has admitted he has “enormous respect” for Arsenal defender Jurriën Timber for the manner in which he’s battled back from a serious knee injury.
[Voetbal Primeur](https://www.voetbalprimeur.nl/nieuws/1691074/jaap-staam-prijst-virgil-van-dijk-en-andere-nederlanders-in-de-premier-league.html) cover comments from the former defender today, made to Algemeen Dagblad, in which he praised the Arsenal man.
Timber is now the established first choice right-back at Arsenal under Mikel Arteta despite something of a disastrous start to life at the Emirates.
The 24-year-old joined the Gunners in a €40m move from Ajax in 2023 after coming through the Dutch giants’ youth ranks and establishing himself in the first team.
He was highly rated and his arrival at Arsenal was highly anticipated, but he suffered a cruciate ligament injury in his first game that saw him spend 253 days on the treatment table and miss 53 games for Arsenal and the Netherlands.
That sort of injury can ruin a career, but Timber has instead bounced back, returning for Arsenal last season and making 48 appearances in all competitions. He’s a regular again this season and Stam believes that deserves a lot of praise.
“When he went to Arsenal, you often heard: ‘Too young, don’t do it’, he said.
“I have enormous respect for what he showed there after his serious knee injury. Right wing, left wing, central, it doesn’t matter. He’s so good on the ball, positionally strong, quick, and powerful.”