Arsenal announced the arrival of Timber from Ajax on Friday
The defender has signed a long-term contract at the Emirates Stadium
The shirt number has been confirmed by the Gunners
Arsenal have revealed the shirt number Jurrien Timber will wear after his signing with Ajax is confirmed.
The Dutch international has agreed a long-term deal with the Gunners and is the second signing of the summer transfer window, following the arrival of Kai Havertz from Chelsea. Declan Rice’s £105million transfer is expected to be announced shortly.
Arsenal’s statement announcing Timber’s arrival also confirmed the number he would wear for the club, with the versatile defender wearing the number 12 shirt.
Timber has worn the number two shirt primarily throughout his senior career, but this was recently adopted by William Saliba, who coincidentally dropped the number 12 in the process. The Dutchman briefly wore 12 when playing for his country’s under-19 team.
He is due to travel to the US with his new Arsenal team-mates this weekend for their pre-season tour. They will face the MLS All-Stars before facing Manchester United and Barcelona.
History of the Arsenal number 12 shirt
Since the turn of the century, Arsenal’s number 12 shirt has seen many different players.
Lauren was arguably the most successful player to wear the shirt in modern times, while Thierry Henry was the most high-profile star to wear the shirt during his loan spell in North London midway through the 2011/12 season.
Polarizing forward Olivier Giroud managed the number 12 for five-and-a-half years before moving across London to Chelsea.
