UCL Final: Merson says Arteta must play PSG even if half‑fit

Arsenal legend Paul Merson has urged manager Mikel Arteta to include injury‑concerned defender Jurrien Timber in the squad for the Champions League final against Paris Saint‑Germain, saying the 24‑year‑old should play even if only half‑fit.

The final will take place in Budapest on Saturday, with Arsenal facing Luis Enrique’s PSG side.

Timber has been sidelined for the last two months of the season due to a groin injury, but the Dutchman is hoping to regain fitness in time for the decisive match.

“I think Jurrien Timber has to play,” Merson told the The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast. “There’s talk that he will be fit. He’s got to play, even if he’s half‑fit. I would take a chance on him because he has to play in that game.”