Arsenal extend Takehiro Tomiyasu

Not long after announcing the contract extension of Ben White, Arsenal announced on Wednesday the extension of defender Takehiro Tomiyasu. The Japanese international put pen to paper, signing a contract extension through 2026. Tomiyasu is one of the few players on the roster that fosters division amongst the fanbase. When he is healthy and fit, few can do what he does. He is two-footed and capable of playing any position across the back, bringing a level of calmness and physicality that makes him one of the most versatile and reliable pure defenders around. He is, in essence, the consummate defender in Mikel Arteta’s system.
But, as the old saying goes, the best ability is availability. Tomi has struggled through injuries during his Arsenal career. He missed the last third of last season after needing knee surgery following an unfortunate slip during the Europa League quarterfinals against Sporting. Outside of that, he has been in and out of the side with a persistent calf injury, which has seen him sidelined for the last 8 matches.
This extension will surely rub some people the wrong way, with even some of our own contributors convinced that we are better off cutting our losses and moving on from the oft-injured defender. The nature of the extension may be a reflection of that shared concern, as his new contract only extends him through 2026, which is far shorter than the likes of the recent extensions of Ben White (2028) and William Saliba (2027)
But I am not among those that are ready to see him go. Sure, his injuries are concerning, but as Arsenal enter the final push in both the Premier League and the Champions League, his presence, no matter how minimal, will undoubtedly be a major boost to the Gunners’ aspirations. When healthy, he is a lockdown defender that you can set your watch to. It’s no coincidence that when both he and Saliba went out with injuries last season, the defense began to crumble.
The defense in particular is mercifully close to full fitness, with long-term absence Jurrien Timber also set to return to first team action after the international break. The ability for Arteta to have a full complement of defenders to rotate as the fixture list congests is an unheard of blessing for Arsenal. While Arteta is not entirely keen to rotate when things have been working out pretty well, the fixture list may force his hand. At the very least, he will have options.
Love him or hate him, Tomi is here to stay.