“Eat or be Eaten”: Erik ten Hag hails Arsenal’s Jurriën Timber as a ruthless leader in the making

Erik ten Hag may be out of the dugout for now, but the former Manchester United manager is still making waves with his insights and observations—this time, offering high praise for Arsenal’s Jurriën Timber.

Ten Hag, recently spotted at AS Roma's training ground—sparking speculation about his coaching future—took a brief break from punditry duties on Dutch TV to comment on Arsenal’s standout performance in their stunning 3-0 win over Real Madrid. One player in particular caught his attention: Timber, who Ten Hag knows well from their time together at Ajax.

After a long injury layoff following his move to North London, the 23-year-old defender is now hitting his stride, and Ten Hag believes there’s far more to come from him.

Ten Hag’s verdict: Ruthless and reliable
Speaking to De Telegraaf, Ten Hag said: “This season I have been able to watch a lot of Arsenal games, so Jurriën’s leading role does not surprise me. You can send Timber, both Timbers by the way, on an errand (and trust them). Jurriën is a soldier. Ruthless and he knows that in top football it is ‘eat or be eaten’. That’s how he sees it. He is proactive, he doesn’t wait.”

He added: “I am happy with how Jurriën is manifesting himself at Arsenal. He has become a permanent force. And I am sure that he will slowly take on a leading role.”

Van Bronckhorst and Reiziger echo Ten Hag’s admiration
Jurriën Timber’s performance hasn’t gone unnoticed by other Dutch football figures either. Former Arsenal player and Netherlands coach Giovanni van Bronckhorst shared his thoughts, highlighting Timber’s versatility and tactical intelligence.

“It’s great to deliver such a performance in such a match. For Mikel Arteta it’s fantastic. Jurriën plays great as a left back and right back and has shown that he belongs to the top,” Van Bronckhorst said.

Meanwhile, Michael Reiziger, who also worked with Timber during his Ajax days, believes the defender is just getting started at the highest level.

“As one of the major powers of the Premier League, Arsenal is already the absolute top, a really big club. Now it’s all about winning prizes,” said Reiziger. “In his youth at Ajax, everyone already saw that Jurriën is a really special boy and would become a very good player. But then you don’t know exactly how far he will reach. I hope we can still enjoy him a lot, like against Real Madrid.”

A soldier in Arteta’s army
With Arsenal looking like serious contenders in both domestic and European competitions, Timber’s resurgence could be crucial down the final stretch. His ability to operate across the backline makes him a vital asset in Mikel Arteta’s system—and if Ten Hag’s words are anything to go by, Timber is built for these high-pressure moments.