Mixed views on United defensive target Tim

NETHERLANDS great Marco van Basten has waxed lyrical about Jurrien Timber and his United credentials – but his former team-mate Ruud Gullit does not see eye-to-eye with that assessment.

In no need for an introduction, Van Basten and Gullit were mainstays of the national team during the late 1980s and early 1990s – capping their success together during the 1988 European Championship win.

They also formed part of a formidable AC Milan line-up between 1987 and 1994 when Gullit departed, eventually for England.

That destination remains on the cards for Timber, meanwhile, as United set about their muchneeded rebuild with a centreback target on the radar. He is well known to Ten Hag after the United manager nurtured him at Ajax and the two Netherlands favourites have already had their say.

Speaking previously to Ajax Showtime, ex-Chelsea player/ manager Gullit said: “I think Timber is a very good player, but whether he can be a defender in England... The top-seven strikers are all world-beaters.

“I think he is a very good footballer, but I have my doubts about whether he is a good defender.”

While his fellow Netherlands icon Gullit rates Timber as a footballer, Van Basten went a step further in piling praise on the Ajax starlet last year.

He told LivefootballonTV.net: “You know who I really like? Timber. He had passes you normally don’t see with a defender, but I also thought he was good in defensive terms.

“He is reliable in the defensive part, but also so comfortable on the ball. As a midfielder or an attacker you just want that ball quickly. He really goes straightforward. He conquers the ball and immediately gives deep passes and that is why things are moving in the right direction so quickly.

“He takes a lot of initiative and immediately looks ahead to play a midfielder or striker.”