Arsenal defender Takehiro Tomiyasu has been linked with a move away from the club.
According to reporter Florian Plettenberg, German giants Bayern Munich have a long-standing interest in Takehiro Tomiyasu and are keen to sign him in the upcoming January transfer window, but Arsenal remain reluctant to part with the defender.
Tomiyasu has had something of a stop-start career at Arsenal so far. Since arriving at the Emirates Stadium in a £19.8 million switch from Serie A side Bologna in the summer of 2021 a number of injuries have interrupted his progress, but when he has been fit and enjoyed a run in the team he has generally impressed.
So far this season, the Japanese ace has been in fine form. Tomiyasu even impressed to the extent that many Arsenal fans have called for him to become the first choice left-back.
The 25-year-old’s versatility and two-footedness allows him to play anywhere across the back line. Earlier in his Arsenal career, he was used predominantly as a right-back, but has spent time on the left hand side of the pitch recently and Mikel Arteta has even deployed him in the heart of the rearguard at times.
Takehiro Tomiyasu belongs at Arsenal
If he can stay fit for long enough, Tomiyasu stands a great chance of nailing down a regular starting spot as his own. On top of being a reliable and physically powerful defender, he has shown a great aptitude for the inverted manner of playing the left-back role usually performed by Oleksandr Zinchenko. The 36-cap Japan international has shown that he is comfortable drifting into the middle of the park to bolster the Gunners’ midfield contingent.
Arteta is a huge fan of the player. He has previously described Tomiyasu as being “one of the most popular in the dressing room” and “a fantastic player for the team,” as quoted by the club’s official website.
It is easy to see why the Gunners would be reluctant to let Tomiyasu go. The player himself may fancy his chances of getting regular starts at Bayern Munich, but he should not give up on his career in north London. He will get lots of game time at Arsenal this season as long as he can avoid injury.
Arsenal fans certainly don’t want to see Tomiyasu sold any time soon. Taking to X in response to this rumour of Bayern Munich’s interest, one supporter said, “with all due respect, they should look elsewhere. Tomi is not for sale.”
Another fan told the Bundesliga outfit to “keep dreaming.” Another warned them to “forget about him.”
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