Arteta says Timber fit to start Champions League final against PSG

Jurrien Timber’s late return gave Arsenal a major boost before the Champions League final, with Mikel Arteta saying the Dutch defender is fit to start against Paris Saint-Germain in Budapest. For a side preparing to play the biggest match of its season as Premier League champions, Timber’s availability is not just encouraging injury news, it could shape how Arsenal defend, press and match up on the right side.

Timber had been out for more than two months with a groin injury and had not played since Arsenal’s 2-0 win over Everton on March 14, when he was substituted in the first half. The injury also ruled him out of Arsenal’s Carabao Cup final in March, and he missed the Premier League season closer against Crystal Palace. He returned to first-team training only just before the final, after Arteta had already described his recovery as something that would be a matter of days, then later said Timber had a chance to be available.

That sequence matters because Arsenal were already stretched at right-back. Ben White is also sidelined with a knee injury, leaving Arteta short of natural options in a part of the field that often determines how cleanly a team can build from the back and how securely it can defend transition moments. Timber’s presence would allow Arsenal to keep a more settled defensive structure rather than reshuffling the line or asking a stopgap to deal with PSG’s wide threats and the demands of a one-off final.

It also affects Arsenal’s pressing shape. Timber has become one of Arsenal’s most reliable performers since recovering from the serious ACL injury that disrupted his first season in north London, and that reliability gives Arteta a defender who can step forward, hold his zone and recover quickly when Arsenal press high. If Timber starts, Arsenal can be more confident about pushing the line up without exposing the right flank to repeated overloads.

Arteta’s assessment comes after a season in which Arsenal were crowned 2025-26 Premier League champions with a 1-1 draw at the Vitality Stadium, giving the manager his first English league title. That success has set the stage for the final in Budapest on May 30, 2026, where small selection decisions may matter as much as form.

Ronald Koeman’s cautious comments have also added another layer to Timber’s return, with the Netherlands national team watching closely ahead of international duty. For Arsenal, though, the immediate question is simpler: Timber’s fit status could be the difference between a symbolic lift and a tactical advantage that changes the final.