
Arsenal's Jurrien Timber to undergo minor procedure on ankle
Arsenal defender Jurrien Timber is set to undergo a minor operation on his ankle.
The 23-year-old Netherlands international will become the latest Arsenal player to have to undergo a procedure this campaign, joining a list that includes Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Magalhaes, Ben White, and Takehiro Tomiyasu. Reiss Nelson, who has spent the season on loan at Fulham, also had to undergo surgery on a hamstring issue in February.
Advertisement
Timber, who missed the majority of the 2023-24 season due to an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, has played the fifth-most minutes for Arsenal this season, with only David Raya, William Saliba, Declan Rice, and Thomas Partey having played more than the defender.
Injuries to White, Tomiyasu, and Riccardo Calafiori have led to Timber playing more minutes this campaign.
He was substituted during his side's 2-1 victory over Fulham on April 1, after receiving a knock in the first half of the game.
Despite playing in all four games against Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League quarter- and semi-finals, he had been rested in recent weeks, starting just one of Arsenal's seven Premier League games.
Timber's most recent league appearance came against Crystal Palace on April 23.
The Netherlands have World Cup qualifiers against Finland on June 7 and against Malta three days later.
Arsenal, who secured Champions League qualification with their 1-0 victory over Newcastle United yesterday, conclude their Premier League away at Southampton on Sunday.
()
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Washington Post
an hour ago
- Washington Post
French Open: No. 1 Sinner plays Djokovic and defending champ Alcaraz faces Musetti in semis
PARIS — It is unusual to think of Novak Djokovic as not being the favorite to win a French Open semifinal, given that his greatest clay-court rival Rafael Nadal has retired. After all, Djokovic has won three titles at Roland-Garros among his men's record 24 Grand Slams. He also owns prestigious winning head-to-head records against 22-time major winner Nadal (31-29) and 20-time major champion Roger Federer (27-23).


Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
Trump's New Travel Ban Threatens to Upend World Cup and Olympics for Fans
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. President Donald Trump worked hard to secure the 2026 FIFA World Cup for the United States during his first term — and he made sure the world knew it. From campaign rallies to handwritten letters on White House stationery, he celebrated it as a defining global achievement. "I am confident," he wrote to FIFA in 2018, "that all eligible athletes, officials and fans... would be able to enter the United States without discrimination." At the time, the bet was simple: Trump would be long gone by the time the tournament kicked off. But in one of the most improbable comebacks in modern American politics, Trump is not only back in the White House — he's now rewriting the rules for who can attend the event he once helped sell to the world. US President Donald Trump listens to Vice President JD Vance speak during a meeting with the White House Task Force on the FIFA World Cup 2026 in the East Room of the White house in... US President Donald Trump listens to Vice President JD Vance speak during a meeting with the White House Task Force on the FIFA World Cup 2026 in the East Room of the White house in Washington, DC, on May 6, 2025. The soccer world championship will take place from June 11 to July 19, 2026, and will be hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico. More Photo by Jim WATSON / AFP) (Photo by JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images In a move reminiscent of his first term, a new executive order bans entry from 12 nations — including Iran, Libya, Somalia, and Haiti — and restricts travel from seven more. The order includes exemptions for athletes and staff attending "major sporting events," such as the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Olympics. But for ordinary fans from those countries planning to make a pilgrimage to America for either global sporting event, that door has been just shut. Take Iran, whose national team as already qualified for the Cup. At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, between 20,000 and 25,000 Iranian fans attended matches at Khalifa International Stadium. Even in 2014 in Brazil, some 2,000 fans made the journey. Under Trump's new order — which labels Iran a "state sponsor of terrorism" and says it "regularly fails to cooperate" with the United States on security issues — that kind of turnout would be impossible in 2026. Other affected nations are also in contention. Haiti currently leads its group after two strong wins in the second round of CONCACAF qualifiers. Libya, currently third in a six-team group, still has a shot through the African playoff route. Venezuela, ranked seventh in South America, could make its first-ever World Cup appearance if it secures an intercontinental playoff berth. Should any of these teams qualify, they'll be allowed to send players and core staff. But unless policy changes, the fans who fueled their journeys will have to stay home. A Win Becomes a Liability In 2018, Trump's personal letters to FIFA helped ease fears among soccer federations wary of his immigration policies. According to The New York Times, the administration crafted the language carefully, with input from the National Security Council and former White House adviser Jared Kushner, who also lobbied allies like Saudi Arabia to support the joint bid and defeat Morocco, the favorite at the time. The promises were clear: the U.S. would not discriminate on who could attend. Then–Secretary of State Rex Tillerson affirmed the country's intent "to issue visas, subject to eligibility under U.S. law, without regard to race, skin color, ethnic, national or social origin, gender, language, religion, political opinion or any other opinion, disability, wealth, birth or any other status, or sexual orientation." "These guarantees," then–U.S. Soccer President Carlos Cordeiro wrote in a follow-up letter, "will ensure that every eligible fan... will have unhindered access." Fast forward to 2025, and those same guarantees are being undermined by a White House that is again prioritizing border security — and warning travelers worldwide that their public statements, including social media posts, may be scrutinized and could jeopardize their chances of obtaining a U.S. visa. This policy, initially targeting individuals associated with Harvard University, is part of a broader initiative to evaluate visa applicants for signs of antisemitism or anti-American sentiment. It is expected to expand to other institutions and categories. Newsweek has reached out to the White House, State Department, FIFA and Iran's football federation for comment. Visa Bottlenecks Even for countries not subject to the travel ban, attending the World Cup may be out of reach. The U.S. visa system is buckling under pressure. Wait times for tourist visa appointments exceed 700 days in Bogotá, Colombia, and more than 500 days in Ankara and Casablanca. For fans hoping to attend next summer, the window is closing fast. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Congress last month that his department is considering 24-hour embassy staffing and artificial intelligence to accelerate processing. "If you haven't applied for a visa from Colombia already, you probably won't get here in time," Rubio said. FIFA is watching nervously. The organization expects next year's World Cup to generate $14 billion in revenue, much of it tied to international tourism. But if global fans can't secure visas, that windfall could shrink — and host cities like Kansas City, Miami and New York could lose out. EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - JUNE 27: Uruguay players warm-up before a Copa America 2024 Group C match between Bolivia and Uruguay at MetLife Stadium on June 27, 2024 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - JUNE 27: Uruguay players warm-up before a Copa America 2024 Group C match between Bolivia and Uruguay at MetLife Stadium on June 27, 2024 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Photo by Stephen Nadler/Beyond the financial risk, FIFA faces a more visible threat: the optics of empty seats. The 2024 Copa América, also hosted in the United States, has already shown how things can go wrong. Despite being played in massive NFL stadiums, the tournament struggled with low attendance and lackluster fan engagement. The U.S. men's national team's opener against Bolivia drew fewer than 48,000 fans to the 80,000-seat AT&T Stadium in Texas. Even the final — featuring powerhouse teams Argentina and Colombia — failed to sell out Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. Mixed Messages FIFA has long insisted that host nations must provide entry to all competing teams, staff and fans. In 2017, FIFA President Gianni Infantino warned that if countries couldn't guarantee access, "there is no World Cup." In 2025, he reaffirmed that stance: "Football unites the world," he said in a recent video. "Everyone who wants to come... will be able to do that." Yet even within FIFA, confidence is waning. A source close to the organization told The Athletic that visa delays have become a top concern, particularly for African and Latin American countries. Still, Infantino remains confident that his close relationship with President Trump could help ensure a successful tournament. "America will welcome the world. Everyone who wants to come here to enjoy, to have fun and to celebrate the game will be able to do that," he said earlier this year. Infantino has appeared at Trump's rallies, dined with him at Davos, and even presented him with a replica of the FIFA Club World Cup trophy — now displayed in the Oval Office. FIFA president (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) Gianni Infantino presents US President Donald Trump with the new FIFA Club World Cup official ball in the Oval office of the White House, in Washington, DC, on... FIFA president (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) Gianni Infantino presents US President Donald Trump with the new FIFA Club World Cup official ball in the Oval office of the White House, in Washington, DC, on March 7, 2025. More Photo by Jim WATSON / AFP) (Photo by JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images But the administration's messaging remains mixed. At a meeting of the White House's World Cup task force last month, Vice President J.D. Vance said: "Of course everyone is welcome to come and see this wonderful event. We want them to come, we want them to celebrate, we want them to watch the games. But when the time is up, we want them to go home — otherwise they will have to talk to Secretary Noem," he said, referring to Kristi Noem, the Secretary of Homeland Security. The concerns also extend beyond the World Cup. Kirsty Coventry, the newly elected president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), has said she wants to meet with Trump to ensure the success of the approaching 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. "He was the president at the time when LA was awarded the Games," Coventry said to the press in March. "I truly believe that he wants the LA28 Games to be a huge success."


Washington Post
an hour ago
- Washington Post
Coco Gauff defeats Loïs Boisson 6-1, 6-2 to reach her second French Open final
PARIS — As popular as Coco Gauff is, she knew full well that nearly all of the Court Philippe-Chatrier fans would be against her during the French Open semifinals Thursday. That's because Gauff, an American, was taking on a French opponent — and one who came from nowhere, 361st-ranked Loïs Boisson.