Transfer roundup: Arsenal send Ajax new offer for defender Jurriën Timber

Arsenal have submitted a second official proposal to Ajax, in order to get a deal for centre-back Jurriën Timber completed this week.

Talks have progressed between the clubs after Arsenal’s opening bid of £30m was rejected. Personal terms have already been agreed with Timber, with the 22-year-old expected to sign a five-year contract if a transfer fee can be negotiated.

An Ajax youth academy product who can also play at right-back, Timber has won 15 caps for the Netherlands and will provide necessary defensive depth for Mikel Arteta’s side as they prepare for their Champions League return next season.

Brentford have announced the signing of the highly-rated South Korean centre-back, Kim Ji-soo, on a four-year contract for an undisclosed fee.

Kim joins Brentford from K-League Two side Seongnam and will initially link up with the club’s B team. “Ji-soo is an excellent prospect who was in demand from many teams in Europe this summer,” said the club’s director of football, Phil Giles.

“We will give Ji-Soo all the time he needs to learn English, adapt to life in England and grow into our club in the B team,” Giles added. “Like all of our B-team players he will earn the opportunity to train and play with the first team based on his performances.”

After breaking into the Seongnam first team in January 2022, Kim was selected in a K League all-star team to face Tottenham in a friendly game last summer. The 18-year-old impressed at the recent Under-20 World Cup finals in Argentina as South Korea finished fourth, and had attracted interest from Bayern Munich and Sporting.

West Ham want to sign a new centre-back this summer and are interested in Sunderland’s Dan Ballard. David Moyes has been tracking Ballard for a while and could