Jurrien Timber Returns to Training Ahead of Champions League Final

Jurrien Timber has stepped back into full training at exactly the moment Arsenal needed a lift, handing Mikel Arteta a bold late call to make before Saturday’s Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain.

The Dutch defender, sidelined since mid-March, completed his first full session with the squad on Wednesday, having worked individually up to Tuesday. He came through unscathed. No reaction. No setback. Just the sight Arsenal supporters have been waiting for: Timber moving freely among his teammates in the final week of the season.

According to Miguel Delaney of the Independent, Timber is now pushing to be involved in the final itself. That alone changes the tone of Arsenal’s preparation. A player who looked unlikely to feature again this season is suddenly back in contention for the biggest game of the club’s modern era.

Arteta, though, now has a decision that goes beyond sentiment. Delaney reports that the manager is weighing up how much Timber can realistically offer, with the possibility that even 30 minutes from the bench could prove decisive. This is not a fitness exercise. It is a tactical weapon that has dropped back into his hands at the eleventh hour.

For now, there are no guarantees. Football Insider Hand of Arsenal reports that the final call on whether Timber even makes the matchday squad will come after Thursday’s training session. Arsenal will test him again, assess his sharpness, and only then decide if the risk is worth the potential reward.

There was another telling sign on Wednesday. Timber’s name appeared in the Netherlands squad for the 2026 World Cup. That tournament is still some way off, but the inclusion matters. Ronald Koeman had previously cast doubt over Timber’s readiness; now the national coach is convinced enough of his recovery to plan with him for a campaign that begins on June 11th, with the Netherlands opening on June 14th.

Koeman’s change of stance underlines what Arsenal are seeing on the training pitch. A player who has fought through months of rehab is not just back jogging on the grass. He is back in full sessions, back in national-team plans, back in the conversation for a Champions League final.

The dilemma for Arteta is timing. Timber has not played a competitive minute since mid-March. Match fitness is different from medical clearance, and the intensity of a final against PSG is unforgiving. Throwing him straight into the starting XI would be a huge call, one that currently looks unlikely.

All signs still point to Cristhian Mosquera retaining his place in the starting lineup. The young defender has carried the load in Timber’s absence and is expected to begin again on Saturday. From there, the game itself may dictate what happens next.

If Arsenal need control, fresh legs, or a different profile at right-back as the contest wears on, Timber suddenly becomes an option. If the match explodes into chaos, Arteta might decide the risk is too great.

Either way, the picture has changed. A few weeks ago, Timber’s season seemed over. Now, on the brink of the club’s biggest night, he is back on the grass, back in the squad conversation, and one good training session away from the chance to leave a mark on Europe’s biggest stage.