*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19:32, 1 January 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 23:58, 16 November 2024 (UTC)
Timber joined Ajax's youth academy in 2014, from Feyenoord. He made his first-team debut for Ajax in March 2020, and won two Eredivisie titles and one KNVB Cup. He won the Marco van Basten Award in 2022. Timber signed for Arsenal in July 2023, for an initial transfer fee of £34 million.
Timber made 29 appearances for the Netherlands at youth international level. He was a member of the under-17 team that won the 2018 UEFA European Under-17 Championship. He made his senior international debut in June 2021.
Club career
Youth career
Timber started playing for Utrecht-based club DVSU at the age of four, before joining Feyenoord's youth system when he was six.[6] In 2014, he joined Ajax, where he signed his first professional contract in 2018.[6]
He scored his first career goal for Ajax against Emmen on 2 May 2021.[7] It was the opening goal in an eventual 4–0 win. That result confirmed Ajax as Eredivisie champions for a record 35th time.[7]
Arsenal
On 14 July 2023, it was announced that Timber had joined Arsenal from Ajax on a long-term contract and would wear the number 12, previously worn by William Saliba.[8] Arsenal paid Ajax an initial transfer fee of £34 million, with the deal containing add-ons that could raise the fee to £38.5 million.[9] On 6 August, he made his competitive debut for the club against Manchester City in the Community Shield, which Arsenal won 4–1 on penalties.[10] Timber made his Premier League debut in a 2–1 home win over Nottingham Forest on 12 August. He limped off in the 50th minute with an injury. It was later confirmed that he had suffered an ACL injury on his right knee which would require surgery and keep him out of the game for a "period of time".[11] In February 2024, he was included in the club's squad for the Champions League knockout phase.[12]
On 22 April 2024, Timber made his comeback in Arsenal Under-21s' Premier League 2 game against Blackburn Rovers, playing the first half and scoring the opening goal in a 2–2 draw at Ewood Park.[13][14] He made his first-team comeback on 19 May, coming on as a 69th minute substitute for Ben White in Arsenal's final-day win against Everton. Timber said he "felt so good after so many months of hard work" and "it's just nice for me to go into the summer with some minutes."[15]
On 4 December 2024, Timber scored his first goal for Arsenal from a header from a corner against Manchester United in a 2-0 victory at the Emirates Stadium.
After missing UEFA Euro 2024 due to injury, Timber was recalled to the Netherlands' squad for their opening matches of the 2024–25 UEFA Nations League in September 2024.[28] In the match against Bosnia & Herzegovina on 8 September, he appeared as a substitute in the 83rd minute, lining up alongside his brother Quinten for the first time in senior football. This made the Timber brothers the third pair of twins to represent the Netherlands together after René and Willy van de Kerkhof and Frank and Ronald de Boer.[29]
Personal life
Born in the Netherlands, Timber and his twin brother Quinten Timber, who is also a footballer, are of Curaçaoan descent. Both their mother Marilyn and their father are from Curaçao, part of the ABC Islands in the Dutch Caribbean. Due to past situations, the family took on their maternal name Timber instead of taking the last name of their father Maduro.[30] The twins also have three older brothers Shamier, Chris, and Dylan, the latter of whom is also a footballer.[31]
Timber is a Christian, and often conveys Bible verses through his social media accounts.[32]
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