One crucial detail in Takehiro Tomiyasu contract highlights potential Arsenal concern

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Arsenal today announced that defender Takehiro Tomiyasu has put pen to paper on a new contract, to keep him at the club for the foreseeable future.

The 25-year-old has struggled with injuries but has performed superbly when fit, and is a useful option for Mikel Arteta given his versatility.

Tomiyasu’s deal was set to expire in 2025, but the club have now protected his value for the future, and Edu Gaspar also highlighted the defender’s professionalism as a motivating factor behind his new deal.

However, there is an issue Arsenal have faced with Tomiyasu, which meant that his new deal was something of a risk, but it is clear that they are wary of further problems down the line.

Arsenal are wary of Takehiro Tomiyasu injury risks

Tomiyasu has appeared just once since November as he struggled with several injuries, but did appear for Japan at the Asia Cup.

He picked up a further problem during the tournament that has kept him out since, but has now returned to training, and was on the bench for Arsenal’s Champions League victory over Porto.

This has been a common theme throughout his Arsenal career, and he may no longer be relied upon as a regular player.

However, it is clear that Arsenal are aware of the risks of handing him a long-term contract. His new deal runs for just two years until 2026, with the option of a third year. Given his age, this is a shorter deal than may have been expected, but it allows Arsenal to protect their asset without committing a long-term risk.

Arsenal were wise to protect Tomiyasu’s value

The worst-case scenario for Arsenal now is that if Tomiyasu cannot fix his injury issues, that he will still be a sellable asset within a year.

Should he improve his availability, then Arsenal will have a top-class defender tied down for the next few years. However, if this does not improve, then they could make a lucrative sale, or keep him on a shorter-term deal as a backup.

If they handed him a four-year deal, and he continued to struggle with injuries and drop his performance levels, then it would have been difficult to shift him, as seen in the case of Cedric Soares.

This new deal therefore protects Tomiyasu’s value without compromising the future, and it was a no-brainer for the club to offer it to him.