Arsenal full-back Takehiro Tomiyasu could be a candidate for the Emirates Stadium exit door either in January or next summer due to concerns over the player’s fitness record, CaughtOffside understands.
The Japan international was given a new two-year contract earlier this year, but it was not a longer deal due to the fact that he’s had so many issues with his availability, which is something Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta treats as a key criteria for his players.
Sources with a close understanding of the situation have informed CaughtOffside that although a departure in the middle of the season isn’t particularly likely, it could be that we’ll see Tomiyasu leave if the right offer comes in, as he has plenty of suitors back in Serie A, where he previously shone in a spell with Bologna.
AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus and Napoli are among the clubs keeping an eye on Tomiyasu’s situation, CaughtOffside understands, but it remains to be seen which, if any, of those will make concrete efforts to secure his signature any time soon.
Tomiyasu transfer: Should Arsenal keep or sell?
Arsenal fans will likely feel divided by this situation, as Tomiyasu has always done well when called upon, even if he’s never quite looked like being good enough to be an automatic starter in a competition where there is plenty of depth at the club.
Arsenal also have Ben White, Riccardo Calafiori, Jurrien Timber, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Jakub Kiwior as players capable of filling in in the full-back roles, so Tomiyasu might do well to consider moving on for more first-team football anyway.
It’s a shame, however, that injuries have prevented him from getting more of a chance to show what he can do, as it’s widely understood that his qualities are rated very highly by Arteta, even if his lack of availability has also been identified as a concern.
