Former Arsenal defender Takehiro Tomiyasu has opened up about his departure from the Premier League runners-up.
The Gunners and Tomiyasu mutually terminated his contract initially of July, ending an Arsenal profession decimated by accidents.
Tomiyasu joined Arsenal in 2021 and managed 65 league appearances however was sidelined by knee accidents for the whole lot of the 2024-25 season, enjoying simply six minutes in opposition to Southampton initially of October.
Tomiyasu termination was ‘not unilateral’
Now a free agent, the Japanese worldwide appeared on Atsuto Uchida’s Soccer Time on DAZN, telling the previous Samurai Blue right-back that there are issues he can’t say about leaving Arsenal however that the termination of his contract was, as reported, a mutual resolution.
“It wasn’t a sudden resolution to depart,” mentioned Tomiyasu, as quoted by GOAL. “I wish to make it clear that my contract wasn’t terminated unilaterally, and I didn’t unilaterally say ‘I’m leaving.’
“We had a correct dialogue and got here to the conclusion that ‘this resolution is greatest for me, for the membership, and for everybody, so I’m leaving.’ All of it ended amicably.”
Tomiyasu captured the eye of scouts whereas enjoying for Avispa Fukuoka and was delivered to Europe by Belgian facet Sint-Truiden earlier than maturing as a Bologna participant between 2019 and 2021.
Admitting to feeling stress and nervousness throughout his prolonged harm absence, Tomiyasu revealed the response of his teammates to the information of his departure.
“I mentioned my closing goodbyes to the gamers, coaches and workers,” he advised Uchida. “I went to the locker room and workers room and one after the other, I mentioned, ‘I’m leaving.’ As I mentioned my goodbyes to every considered one of them, I used to be reminded that I used to be beloved.”
The Japanese worldwide defender performed 84 instances for the Gunners in all competitions, making greater than 20 Premier League appearances in every of his first three seasons earlier than he was struck down by the knee harm that finally pressured him into season-ending surgical procedure.
Arsenal’s gamers have been stunned by the choice to mutually terminate his contract, which protected him financially as an injured participant who will take time to discover a new employer.
Tomiyasu isn’t in search of a membership in the meanwhile. He defined to Uchida that the cartilage injury in his knee is a great distance from repaired and he’ll focus as an alternative on his restoration, admitting to feeling ‘free’ to concentrate on himself.
