Takehiro Tomiyasu explains his Arsenal exit | OneFootball

Takehiro Tomiyasu has explained his departure from Arsenal, following the mutual decision for player and club to part ways this summer.

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Arsenal officially confirmed earlier this month that Takehiro Tomiyasu had terminated his contract with the Gunners, leaving the club early despite his deal being set to run to 2026.

In spite of the defender’s injury problems, the news came as a surprise to many fans. But Tomiyasu explains that it wasn’t a knee-jerk decision.

“It wasn’t a sudden decision to leave,” Tomiyasu revealed. “First of all, I want to make it clear that my contract wasn’t terminated unilaterally, and I didn’t unilaterally say ‘I’m leaving’.

“We had a proper discussion and came to the conclusion that ‘this decision is best for me, for the club, and for everyone,’ so I’m leaving. It all ended amicably.

“I was there for four years, but I only played five minutes in the 2024-25 season, and I spent a whole year in rehabilitation. I was under a lot of stress and anxiety.”

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Tomiyasu went on to discuss his Arsenal farewell, as well as why he thinks his exit is a good thing for him at this stage of his rehabilitation.

“After I decided to leave, I said my final goodbyes to the players, coaches, and staff,” Tomiyasu added. “I went to the locker room or staff room one by one and said, ‘I’m leaving.’

“As I said my goodbyes to each and every one of them, I was reminded that I was loved, and that was when I was able to leave. I think that was a good thing. The players (teammates) were surprised, too, as I still had time left on my contract and I was injured.

“From my perspective, it’s the best timing, I’ll be free, and most importantly, the most positive thing about this decision is that it will allow me to focus on my rehabilitation and on myself.”

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Tomiyasu left Arsenal with 84 appearances under his belt. The right-back’s busiest season was 2022/23, when he played 31 times, but he only managed to make it onto the pitch once in 2024/25.

At 26 years old, it’s still very possible for the Japan international to return to regular action and hit his old performance levels again.

A top professional and a popular member of Mikel Arteta’s squad, we wish him all the best with that goal.