World’s best right-back? Bacary Sagna sees himself in Jurrien Timber - with key qualities of Arsenal’s Dutch defender being highlighted

Timber is yet to feature for the Premier League title holders this season. He has been eased into Mikel Arteta’s plans after undergoing minor groin surgery over the summer. A return to training has been made.

The talented 25-year-old could see his first minutes of 2026-27 when Arsenal take in a Champions League trip to Serie A giants Napoli on Wednesday. No unnecessary risks will be taken on his fitness, with Ben White providing international-calibre cover at present.

Timber has, however, seen his stock soar across two seasons in north London - with his debut campaign at Emirates Stadium having been decimated by anterior cruciate ligament damage. He is fast closing in on 100 appearances for the Gunners.

The Ajax academy graduate has - alongside the likes of William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes and David Raya - helped Arteta to forge a defensive unit that is the envy of many across the global game.

Is he now the pick of the bunch in his chosen position? When that question was put to Sagna, the former Arsenal right-back - who was speaking in association with BetVictor Online Casino - told GOAL: “He's amongst the best, yes. I think his impact on the team, his quality in the one-on-one situations, his impact going forward, his balance between attacking and defending is really good and his understanding of the game is perfect.

“He's never caught out of position and he's a smart player and you know most of the time people will qualify an amazing right-back by the way he can bring assists and scoring and bring the danger running forward. For me the best should have the best balance, be the most balanced players, and he seems to me to have the best balance.

“He doesn't put your team in danger by being out of position because this is something I, as a defender, will identify with. Of course sometimes you can bring the danger going forward, you can be a threat going forward, but if you put your team in trouble every time the other team attacks and in the season you concede 10 goals where you're nowhere to be seen, the main reason why you concede directly, for me that’s a problem, and as a defender you have to know that.

“Of course you can be out of position, a lot of defenders at the back lose a duel one-on-one, but me as a right back I used to take it as my responsibility because I should have been here not him. So yes people will criticise the other guy for being dribbled but the main guilty player is me, so you understand and never get out of position.

“When you analyze all these games, he rarely got caught, rarely he's having a bad game, he's very consistent. People will compare him to me and I would agree that we're quite similar.”

Arsenal have started the new season in impressive fashion, with another trophy being secured when seeing off Manchester City in the Community Shield curtain-raiser. Maximum points have been taken from three Premier League fixtures since then - including a come-from-behind victory over Chelsea last time out.

Their next three fixtures will be spread across different competitions, with a European clash in Naples being followed by an English top-flight trip to Sunderland and a Carabao Cup third-round date with Ipswich at Portman Road.