"There’s nothing I can do."
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) reported on the 4th (Korean time) that "Takehiro Tomiyasu has agreed to terminate his contract with Arsenal early. Both parties have mutually agreed to the contract termination, and Tomiyasu will end his contract, which was supposed to last until the summer of 2025, one year early."
Tomiyasu is a 188 cm tall defender who is proficient with both feet and possesses quick foot speed and excellent spatial coverage skills. He joined Arsenal in the summer of 2021 after leaving Bologna, serving as a versatile defensive resource capable of playing center-back, right back, and left back.
Although he entered the Premier League with high expectations, the larger variable than local adaptation was injury. Tomiyasu has suffered from various injuries since his debut season, which hindered his ability to consistently secure stable playing opportunities. He has proven his skills by participating in a total of 84 official matches (79 matches in the league) over three seasons, but his physical condition has held him back from showing more.
The situation did not improve in the 2023-2024 season. He missed the season opener due to a knee injury, and even after his return, he experienced pain again, ultimately undergoing surgery in February. After that surgery, he managed to play only 6 minutes throughout the entire season. The BBC reported, "Tomiyasu is currently in rehabilitation following surgery, and he still needs 5 more months to recover."
The situation was the same during this summer's preseason. Arsenal has been conducting its preseason schedule, including a tour in the United States, ahead of the 2024-2025 season, but Tomiyasu could not join due to focusing on recovery. Although he is a defender under the spotlight of Japanese football fans, repeated injuries have made further challenges difficult.
Meanwhile, Arsenal has begun strengthening its defense in light of Tomiyasu's absence in the summer transfer market. They are focusing on Valencia's center-back Cristian Mosquera as a primary target, and Kieran Tierney has already transferred to Celtic. Oleksandr Zinchenko is also mentioned as a player likely to leave the team before the transfer market closes.
When Tomiyasu debuted in the Premier League in 2021, he was recognized as a rare versatile player among Japanese defenders. In Japan, he was even compared to Min-jae Kim. Some have argued that Tomiyasu is superior to Kim Min-jae, who showcased top-level defense at Napoli.
The BBC noted, "Tomiyasu has purely succumbed to injuries. He has been in rehabilitation since his knee surgery in February and is expected to miss up to 5 months going forward," adding that "Tomiyasu underwent surgery for a similar injury in early 2023, missing the entire beginning of the season."
This outlet reported, "Tomiyasu will effectively conclude his Arsenal career after playing a total of 79 matches since transferring from Bologna in 2021. Arsenal has already initiated defense reinforcements. Young center-back Cristian Mosquera from Valencia has emerged as a candidate for acquisition, while the existing left-back Kieran Tierney has transferred to Celtic, and Zinchenko is also mentioned as likely to leave the team before the summer transfer market deadline."
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