Timber Twice: Marseille Hires Quinten Timber, The Dutch Twin Ready to Strengthen Ligue 1
23 January 2026
Timber Twins land in Ligue 1
Olympique de Marseille have sealed the transfer of Dutch international Quinten Timber, the twin of Arsenal defender Jurriën Timber, from Feyenoord Rotterdam.
His contract with Feyenoord runs out next summer, so Marseille acted now to prevent a free departure.
The 24-year-old has already built an independent career, with 125 appearances and 21 goals for Feyenoord, and eight Netherlands caps since 2024.
He played a key role in the Dutch title in 2023 under Arne Slot, who is now at Liverpool.
The move follows weeks of tension at Rotterdam after a public spat with coach Robin van Persie that left him out of the Sparta derby and sped up his exit.
Marseille, chasing third place in Ligue 1 under Roberto De Zerbi, moved quickly to pay the fee now rather than risk competition in the summer.
Marseille announced that Timber is one of the brightest midfielders of his generation.
Why Marseille moved now
The club acted to secure the deal ahead of rivals, converting a potential free transfer into a paid acquisition to lock in timing and value.
Timber's arrival strengthens a midfield that De Zerbi has been shaping this season, while allowing Jurriën to focus more on his defensive responsibilities at Arsenal in the long run.
The transfer highlights Marseille's active strategy in the current mercato and underlines the team's ambition this season.
In short: more Timber, less wondering where the ball went after every pass.
Two for the price of one: Marseille’s midfield just grew two branches, and yes, they’re both Timber.
Note: if you’re reading this aloud, you might want to cup your hands and pretend it’s a forest—because the trees are getting taller in Marseille.
