Takehiro Tomiyasu has spoken out on the frustrations he felt during his time with Arsenal, unable to stay fit despite doing everything he could to make himself available.
Takehiro Tomiyasu left Arsenal last summer, with player and club mutually agreeing to terminate his contract as he struggled to return from injury.
The defender had only made one appearance for Arsenal in 2024/25, having also spent large portions of the previous three seasons out of action.
Yet Tomiyasu himself struggles to understand why he’s had such trouble with injuries, insisting to the Japanese media that he’s always worked hard on his fitness.
“I never imagined I would go through such a tough time at Arsenal, because I’ve always taken great care of my body,” Tomiyasu said. “I’ve probably done more than anyone else. My first six months in London were amazing. It was like a dream.
“I can understand if my approach was wrong. Some players don’t get injured even if they party after a match. I didn’t do anything reckless, yet it happened to me. I felt frustrated at that time.
“Eventually, you realize that things happen in life that you can’t control. There’s no point in getting angry about them. Everything goes on.”
Tomiyasu has had a decent spell with Ajax over the last few months, playing seven times since his debut in February. Though his most recent appearance was more disappointing, as he picked up a red card for a last-man foul.
The aim for the 27-year-old will be to stay fit until the end of the club campaign, at which point he can hopefully start thinking about the World Cup with Japan.
The expectation is that Tomiyasu’s Ajax spell won’t be extended, so the World Cup marks a great opportunity to impress potential suitors. But he has to make it there first, and as he suggests, that’s not entirely in his control.
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