The major obstacle Man United must overcome to sign Ajax’s Jurrien Timber

Jurrien Timber is being linked with a summer move with Man United, but the Reds face a tough task in convincing the Dutchman to join.

Dutch publication De Telegraaf is reporting that Ajax intend to keep the 20-year-old centre-back this summer, despite United now having the pull of former Ajax boss Erik ten Hag.

Ten Hag’s summer clear-out

Erik ten Hag is already making changes at Old Trafford. Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard, and Juan Mata are all set to join Nemanja Matic in leaving Man United in June, while Donny van de Beek is sure to be given a second chance with the Reds under his former Ajax manager.

But despite his early alterations, ten Hag’s focus has now turned to incomings. A host of players have been linked with United this summer, from Frenkie de Jong and Darwin Nunez to Timber.

Man United want Jurrien Timber

Man United are pursuing the young Dutch defender after a season that saw United leak goals. The centre-back is seen as the ideal defender to compliment Harry Maguire, Raphael Varane or Victor Lindelof; whoever Ten Hag chooses to command his defensive line.

The 20-year-old is highly regarded in Europe. He was also a favourite of ten Hag’s during their time together with the Dutch champions.

How much will Timber cost?

Given his age and the potential that comes with that, United will have to cough up the big bucks to secure the Dutchman’s signature.

Metro have reported that Ajax have slapped a price tag of £43 million on the versatile defender. While United have the financial muscle to pay this fee, given they paid £80 million for Maguire not too many seasons ago, money may not be the only hurdle in their pursuit of Timber.

Why United face a struggle to sign Timber

According to De Telegraaf, the upcoming winter World Cup in Qatar is reportedly key to Timber’s decision. He wants to be in the Netherlands’ squad.

Timber gets first-team football at Ajax. That will not necessarily be the case at United.

Despite the Reds’ defensive frailties last term, ten Hag still has a lot of defenders in his ranks. Varane, Lindelof, Maguire and Bailly can all play centrally. Meanwhile, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Diogo Dalot are already vying for the right-back position.

You get the sense that Timber would need guarantees before moving to Old Trafford.

If United are to acquire the young centre-back this summer, they’ll have to hammer home some key points.

They include the opportunity to work with ten Hag again, and his familiarity with other former Ajax players, such as van de Beek and potentially de Jong. In addition, most crucially, they will need to guarantee him first-team football at Old Trafford.

Featured image credit: Getty