Liverpool Transfer Rumor: Sneidjer believes that Jurien Timber cannot thrive at Liverpool due to one key weakness
Former Dutch footballer Wesley Sneijder has issued a warning to Liverpool football club advising them against the acquisition of Jurrien Timber. Sneijder believes that Timber, who is 21 years old, does not possess the necessary skills to compete in the Premier League, specifically when it comes to aerial ability.
This warning comes after Timber was suddenly linked to Liverpool when reports surfaced in his home country of the Netherlands indicating that his girlfriend was on the hunt for a house in Liverpool. Liverpool’s manager, Jurgen Klopp, is reportedly in search of a versatile defender to bolster his squad for the upcoming season.
Timber, who had previously turned down a transfer last summer, is looking to challenge himself by moving away from the Eredivisie league. Despite these factors, Sneijder remains skeptical about Timber’s suitability for Liverpool due to his height. Timber is approximately 1.79 meters tall, or roughly 5ft9.
‘He’s a smart lad and a really good defender,’ said Sneijder on Dutch TV show Veronica Offside, where the rumour about the potential Liverpool move first emerged.
‘But he loses every header and in England – against those wardrobes in the Premier League – that will be his downfall.’
Wesley Sneijder draws a comparison between Jurrien Timber and Lisandro Martinez, who was also accused of lacking the required physical attributes to play in the Premier League, prior to his transfer from Ajax to Manchester United.
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However, Martinez quickly proved his doubters wrong with his performance on the pitch. Despite this, Sneijder feels that the comparison is not valid in Timber’s case as he believes that the young Dutch defender’s aerial ability is a major weakness that could hinder his success in the Premier League.
‘Lisandro Martinez is also small, but he can still jump and rise above players,’ explained Sneijder.
‘I used to see that with [former Real Madrid team-mate] Fabio Cannavaro. He was also small but he won every header.’
Jurrien Timber’s aerial ability has come under scrutiny, as he has lost more aerial duels than he has won in the current season. Specifically, Timber has lost 44 and won 41 out of a total of 85 aerial duels, equating to a 48% success rate.
In comparison, his Ajax teammates Edson Alvarez and Calvin Bassey have significantly better aerial records. Additionally, in his final season in Amsterdam, Lisandro Martinez averaged 3.3 aerial wins per match, winning 79 and losing just 33 out of a total of 112 aerial duels, which amounts to a 70% success rate.
If Timber were to join Liverpool, he would have to compete against Ibrahima Konate for a place in the heart of Liverpool’s defense alongside his Netherlands teammate, Virgil van Dijk, who has no issues with winning headers.
However, Timber is a versatile player who can also operate at right-back, which could provide cover and competition for Trent Alexander-Arnold. At present, Alexander-Arnold’s only backup is James Milner, who is 37 years old, and whose contract expires at the end of the season.
