Takehiro Tomiyasu has detailed why he would ‘hate’ to play against Arsenal teammate and captain Martin Odegaard.
The Japanese international today signed a new deal with the north London side that will keep Tomiysu with Arsenal until 2026, with the defender having an option to extend by an extra year.
The former Bologna star has been key to Arsenal’s rapid growth under Mikel Arteta, with Tomiyasu joining in the same summer Odegaard returned on a permanent transfer.
Takehiro Tomiyasu reveals he would ‘hate’ to face Martin Odegaard
And speaking to the club’s official website, Tomiyasu revealed how Odegaard is the one Arsenal player the defender would not want to face up against on the other side of the pitch.
The playmaker has established himself as one of the best midfielders in the world since joining Arsenal for good, and it is easy to see why Tomiyasu would fear facing Odegaard.
Tomiyasu said: “The player I’d most hate to play against would probably be Martin Odegaard, our captain. He’s very smart, he has very good football intelligence.
“His positioning to receive passes, his ability to create openings, and his ability to score goals himself, I’ve come to realise how incredible he is since becoming his teammate, so I think he would be a very difficult opponent to come up against.”
Arsenal duo can lead club to glorious future
Arsenal have been on a tear of late in signing key players to new long-term deals, with Tomiyasu joining Ben White this month in penning fresh terms.
And alongside Odegaard, the Japanese international could be key in leading Arsenal to a brilliant future, one where the north London side could be regular winners of trophies and titles.
The squad Mikel Arteta is building has the potential to be quite incredible in the years to come, and signing the likes of Tomiyasu to a new deal will take Arsenal one step further to such a dream.
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