Arsenal defender Timber returns to London for injury recovery

Arsenal defender Jurrien Timber has temporarily left the club's pre-season training camp in Spain to continue his recovery from a groin injury in London. Club sources have clarified that this move is a planned stage of his rehabilitation and not a result of any setback.

Timber, who is from the Netherlands, is expected to rejoin his teammates in Spain once he completes the scheduled work. The 24-year-old has been managing a groin problem that previously kept him out of action and caused him to miss international duty. This issue arose after he had recovered from an ankle injury sustained late last season.

Despite the ongoing recovery, Timber had an impactful previous season, appearing in 30 Premier League matches as Arsenal secured the league title. He had established himself as the team's primary right-back. This current groin issue is separate from the significant anterior cruciate ligament tear he suffered early in his Arsenal career after joining from Ajax in July 2023 for an initial fee of £34 million, which sidelined him for most of his debut season.

Arsenal will be keen for Timber to regain full fitness before the new campaign begins. The team is scheduled to face Manchester City in the Community Shield on August 16, followed by their Premier League title defense opener against promoted Coventry City on August 21.