A round-up of the latest Arsenal news as Takehiro Tomiyasu shares one thing that he ‘never expected’ after signing his new contract and Bukayo Saka triggers injury fears.
Takehiro Tomiyasu ‘never expected’ to play for Arsenal
Japan defender Tomiyasu admits that he ‘never expected’ to play for Arsenal and feels life at Emirates Stadium is unmatched. The 25-year-old has reflected on his move to north London from Bologna in August 2021 following his a new deal to June 2026, plus a one-year option.
Arsenal signed Tomiyasu in a late-window move when Mikel Arteta looked to replace Hector Bellerin. The Fukuoka native instantly settled in at the Emirates, too. But an array of injuries have since seen Tomiyasu act as Ben White’s right-back understudy since the 2022/23 term.
Tomiyasu has merited a new contract this season, though, after covering well for Oleksandr Zinchenko at left-back. He has made 13 appearances in the Premier League for Arteta, with nine coming on the left. But Tomiyasu never thought he would play for Arsenal before 2021.
“To be honest, I never expected to even be selected by Arsenal,” Tomiyasu told the club’s official website. “I never thought I’d even be at the club, so it’s hard to find something that compares to that.
“You really get the feeling that you’re part of one of the world’s biggest clubs. There’s also the connection with the supporters. No other club I’ve been at really feels connected like Arsenal”
Read more about what Tomiyasu has said after signing his new contract, here.
Arsenal suffer a Bukayo Saka injury scare on England duty
Arsenal have suffered an injury scare early in the international break as Saka missed training as England gathered on Wednesday. That is according to football.london, which reports that the 22-year-old did an individual session at St George’s Park away from the rest of the team.
Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane plus Chelsea maestro Cole Palmer also only did individual training sessions on Wednesday. But Saka’s absence from their group training programme at England’s base was done as a precautionary decision with the attacker likely to be fit to play.
England host Brazil and Belgium at Wembley across the March break in preparation for Euro 2024 this summer. Saka should be a key player for his country at the tournament and is now chasing the Arsenal sensation’s 33rd cap. He has 11 goals and eight assists for his country.
Seeing Saka miss England’s group training session to spark fears about an injury would have been among the last things Arsenal wanted over the international break. Arteta has already seen Gabriel Magalhaes and Gabriel Martinelli withdraw from the Brazil squad due to injury.
Read more about Arsenal forward Saka’s injury scare after joining England, here.
Arsenal could rival Liverpool for Murillo’s summer transfer
Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Newcastle United are showing interest in a summer transfer for Nottingham Forest defender Murillo. That is according to the Daily Mail, which adds that the Reds face a fight to keep the centre-half as they continue to manage their FFP problems.
Several Premier League squads are taking a keen interest in Murillo after Nottingham Forest received a four-point deduction on Monday. Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain also have an eye on the 21-year-old with the Reds risking another breach of PSR without a big-ticket sale.
Murillo cost Nottingham Forest £15m to sign from Corinthians in August 2023. He has since started all 23 of the Brazilian’s Premier League appearances since debuting in October. But a move away from the City Ground could be on its way as vultures circle amid the Reds’ plight.
Read more about Arsenal’s interest in Nottingham Forest defender Murillo, here.
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