After a decade-plus of mediocre squads and disappointing campaigns, Arsenal are finally back among the big boys in the Premier League.
Mikel Arteta's side came close to winning the title last season and are firmly in the hunt again this year.
The Spaniard has built an imposing squad over the last few years, and a flurry of contract extensions over the last 12 months means they're likely to compete for the foreseeable future.
Takehiro Tomiyasu is the most recent star to commit his future to the club, and while this is great news for him, it could be terrible news for one of his teammates.
Takehiro Tomiyasu's new contract
Arsenal completed the £20m signing of Tomiyasu from Serie A side Bologna in September 2021 to replace the outgoing Hector Bellerin and provide some extra cover at centre-back to boot.
Position
Appearances
Right-back
46
Left-Back
17
Centre-Back
1
It was clear what Arteta had in mind for the then-22-year-old, as when speaking to the media after his signing, he described him as "a versatile defender with great defensive qualities, high technical ability and composure on the ball."
In his first season with the club, the Japanese defender made 22 appearances, 19 of which came at right-back and the other two at left-back. Had he not suffered a calf injury in February, he would have certainly made more.
The 2022/23 campaign saw the 6 foot 2 titan make 31 appearances, five of them at left-back. This season, the 25-year-old has made 20 appearances, ten of them on the left side of defence.
The Fukuoka-born star might not be the first name on Arsenal's teamsheet, but his versatility, stature, and defensive nous have made him a vital cog in Arteta's machine.
To reflect his importance to the squad, he was rewarded with a new deal earlier this week that'll see him remain in N5 until summer 2026,
Speaking about his extended terms, the full-back stated: "I’m playing for Arsenal and this means I’m playing for Arsenal’s supporters. So that’s why I dedicate my life for this club, and for the supporters. I want to give them something back.”
The Arsenal player who will suffer after Tomiyasu's new deal
As fans celebrate the extension to Tomiyasu's deal – and they should – it might be easy to forget that Arsenal still have another full-back out on loan in Kieran Tierney, who's arguably the only dedicated, out-and-out left-back at the club.
The Scotland international joined the Gunners for around £25m in August 2019 and, over the course of the next four seasons, made 124 appearances, in which he scored five goals and provided 14 assists, playing as a traditional full-back, bombing up and down the byline and whipping in pinpoint crosses.
Despite generally performing well for the club, the Douglas-born ace was incredibly unlucky with injuries and missed 51 games in those four campaigns. However, by last season, he had lost his place in the starting XI to Oleksandr Zinchenko, who better fit Arteta's playing philosophy.
With just 15 starts to his name in 2022/23, the 39-capped international joined La Liga side Real Sociedad on loan this year for more regular football.
2019/20
Arsenal
24 (20)
19
5
2020/21
Arsenal
38 (32)
19
7
2021/22
Arsenal
25 (24)
13
5
2022/23
Arsenal
36 (15)
0
3
2023/24
Sociedad
20 (14)
15
2
However, as things stand, he has started just 14 games for the Basque outfit and has spent two periods on the sidelines with two hamstring problems, missing 15 games, suggesting his injury-riddled days are not yet behind him.
There is a chance the 26-year-old could be reintroduced back into the squad next season. However, with Zinchenko still at the club, Jurrien Timber's arrival in the summer, Jakub Kiwior's fine form, and Tomiyasu's recent contract extension, he would likely come in as fifth choice, which would be absurd for a player on £110k-per-week.
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Therefore, while he has been a popular player for much of his time at the club thanks to his no-nonsense style of play, Arsenal should be looking to move him on in the summer, even if they can only fetch the €10m – £9m – that the CIES Football Observatory values him at. Sadly, it looks as if the Scot has donned the famous red and white for the final time.
