Arsenal defender, Takehiro Tomiyasu, will not participate in the club’s pre-season tour in the United States as he is set to undergo treatment for a knee injury, according to reports.
The right-back transferred from Serie A club Bologna to Arsenal in the summer of 2021 and has since become a key figure in Mikel Arteta’s defensive lineup.
The 25-year-old played in 30 matches during the 2023/24 season but was hampered by a recurring calf injury, which led to his frequent deployment as a left-back in Arteta’s flexible system.
The Japanese international will now have to delay rejoining his teammates after being ruled out of the pre-season tour in the US.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Tomiyasu will stay in London to treat his knee injury. Kieran Tierney will also be absent from the tour due to a hamstring issue.
Despite being a natural right-back, Tomiyasu became Arteta’s preferred choice on the left during the 2023/24 season.
He stepped in for Oleksandr Zinchenko, Jakub Kiwior, and Jurrien Timber, adding stability to the defense.
Arsenal is actively seeking a new left-back and has been increasingly linked with Bologna’s Riccardo Calafiori.
Reports suggestes that the Gunners have reached an agreement with the Italian club for Calafiori, intending to leverage his versatility in the upcoming season.
Tomiyasu’s journey to Arsenal mirrored this in 2021 when he left Bologna after a successful stint in Serie A. Both he and Tierney will miss the US tour, with new recruit Calafiori expected to join Bologna in Valles for a series of pre-season friendlies.
