It’s expected to be a busy summer at Arsenal as the club look to bolster Mikel Arteta’s squad in almost every department.
The Gunners were inactive in the January transfer window for a multitude of reasons, but this has ultimately cost them.
Kai Havertz is out for the season, as is Gabriel Jesus, while Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli remain sidelined with hamstring issues.
These injuries have hampered Arsenal’s season, and the Emirates hierarchy will no doubt be ruing their decision not to make a move in the winter.
They’ll surely learn from this and rampantly strengthen Arteta’s ensemble with a number of signings in the summer, although this may require sanctioning some uncomfortable sales.
Arsenal were considering Takehiro Tomiyasu sale before injury
Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard are wanted by Saudi clubs, and one of these wingers may have to make way to fund investment in a striker.
Meanwhile, the likes of Thomas Partey, Jorginho, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Kieran Tierney are all expected to depart N5.
However, these exits alone won’t raise enough money to spark the outlandish spending that is required from Arsenal to compete at the top of the league again.
Thus, more players will need to leave, with Takehiro Tomiyasu a genuine departure option.
Tomiyasu underwent surgery to his knee in February after continuing to struggle with the issue for some time.
According to the Daily Mail, Arsenal were considering selling the Japanese international before he sustained his set-back.
The Gunners were looking to assess him upon his return, with a view to letting him go in the summer.
However, the injury makes this deal extremely difficult, with Tomiyasu not expected to return until late in 2025.
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Arsenal must sell Takehiro Tomiyasu regardless of injury
Arsenal fans have become accustomed to both solid displays and perennial injury issues with Tomiyasu.
Fitness problems have plagued his time in North London, limiting him to just 36 Premier League starts since his arrival in 2021.
Described as ‘under-appreciated’ by football analyst Ben Mattinson, Tomiyasu’s dependable defensive contributions and quality on the ball make him an extremely valuable asset from both left-back and right-back.
However, his fitness is anything but dependable, and during his absence, he’s been made somewhat redundant in Arteta’s squad.
Myles Lewis-Skelly and Riccardo Calafiori are ahead of him in the pecking order at left-back, while Ben White and Jurrien Timber would be selected over him on the right-hand side of defence.
Thus, it’s no longer necessary for Arteta to keep Tomiyasu at the Emirates, and the club should be trying everything in their power to get him off the books over the summer.
Even if that means cutting their losses and allowing him to leave for a minimal fee, they must do it.
Tomiyasu’s contract expires in the summer of 2026, and Arsenal cannot let a player of such quality go for nothing.
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