Jurrien Timber has refused to rule out the prospect of leaving Ajax this summer, despite Manchester United holding talks with the Dutch club last year over a potential deal for the 21-year-old defender. Ajax demanded a €50 million (£43m) transfer fee, but Timber ended up staying at the club and was a key part of the side which won consecutive Eredivisie titles. When asked about his future at Ajax, Timber told Vandaag Inside: ‘No, that’s always the case around this time of year. Unfortunately, I can’t say much about it yet. I don’t mean there’s nothing going on, but I can’t tell you anything yet.’
Earlier this month, Marco van Basten advised Timber to stay with Ajax for another year and decline a potential move to United, but Timber insists he will make his own decision over his future. He said: ‘Of course you take that from someone like Van Basten. But you should always listen to your own feeling and follow that. We’ll see what that brings.’ There have been no negotiations over a potential contract extension for Timber, whose current deal is due to expire in 2025. He said: ‘No, I’m not in talks with Ajax right now. I spoke briefly to [Sven] Mislintat in the beginning. My agent Chris had a good talk with him a few times, but it’s not like we’re talking about anything right now. I don’t dare say that I’ll stay with Ajax anyway, no.’