Jurrien Timber says opponents can’t stand playing against ‘amazing’ Arsenal summer signing

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Arsenal defender Jurrien Timber has sung the praises of one of the Gunners’ summer signings, saying he is the kind of player opponents hate facing.

Arsenal have begun the 2025/26 season brightly, winning four of their five games in all competitions and conceding just one goal thus far.

The Gunners’ latest outing saw them run out 2-0 winners away at Athletic Bilbao in their first Champions League fixture of the campaign.

And Jurrien Timber, speaking after the match, said one of his new teammates truly is a thorn in the side of the opposition.

READ MORE: Martin Keown singles out £13m Arsenal star who quietly shone vs Bilbao, ‘I want to mention him…’

Jurrien Timber hails ‘amazing’ Noni Madueke

Some Arsenal fans were initially not happy about the prospect of Noni Madueke signing for them, but the England international has hit the ground running at N5.

Madueke was superb in the 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest and followed it up with a solid performance against Athletic Bilbao.

The former Chelsea man caught the eye on the right flank and had the beating of his marker throughout the encounter.

“Yeah, he does amazing,” Timber said of Madueke. “I knew him already from before, so I’m not surprised to be fair.

“Such a threat and I don’t think any opponent likes to play against him, and he does amazing.”

Rio Ferdinand was also among those who praised Madueke after the initial criticism he got at N5.

Meanwhile, Gary Neville said Madueke reminds him of Arjen Robben.

Noni Madueke has never lost against Jurrien Timber

It’s a good job that Timber and Madueke are now on the same side, because the Dutch defender has never got the better of the English winger.

Timber and Madueke have been on opposing sides three times over the course of their respective careers.

The first time was during the 2018/19 campaign, in which Timber’s Ajax U19s lost 1-0 to Madueke’s PSV Eindhoven U19s.

Timber and Madueke then faced off in the 2021 Johan Cruyff Shield – the Dutch equivalent of the Community Shield – and Madueke’s PSV ran out 4-0 winners over Timber’s Ajax.

And finally, Chelsea and Arsenal played out a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge last season, ensuring that Madueke’s unbeaten record against Timber stood ahead of his move to N5.