Japan's highest centerback falls at 9.4 billion won in annual salary, EPL big club career virtually ended, 2nd knee surgery, long-term absence → season out crisis

Feb 12, 2025

Takehiro Tomiyasu's career is falling into darkness.

The British Daily Mail reported on the 11th (Korea Standard Time) "As Tomiyasu's long-term health looks into the possibility of a second knee surgery at Arsenal, concerns are growing.", raising the possibility of further surgery for Tomiyasu.

Tomiyas entered Europe in 2018 when he moved to Sint Trawidon, Belgium. With a good performance in Sintraudon, he moved to Italy's Serie A Bologna for the first time in a year and made it to the big league. He succeeded in joining Arsenal in 2021 thanks to his good performances at centre-back and right-back at Bologna.

As soon as he moved to Arsenal, Tomiyasu was trusted by Mikel Arteta and jumped to the starting line-up at right fullback. Tomiyasu has been well integrated into the English Premier League (EPL). However, he lost three months due to a calf injury. Was it from then on. Tomiyasu's glassy temperament grew more and more serious.

At the beginning of the 2022-2023 season, he was pushed out of the main competition and played only as a substitute. The jagged playing record prevented Tomiyasu from showing his competitive edge. In March 2023, he was out for the season due to a broken knee.

The 2023-2024 season was no different. Returning from a knee injury, he seemed to play well as a rotation member, but he wasted four months with a calf injury. When he returned at the end of the season, he did his part, but Arsenal fans began to fail to trust Tomiyasu, who has been struggling with injuries every season.

The temperament of the glass body is reaching its peak in the 2024-2025 season. Tomiyasu, who suffered a knee injury after the end of the season, blew the entire preseason. Tomiyasu returned briefly in October last year, but he played 10 minutes at the end of the second half and had problems again. Since then, he has still not been able to play due to knee problems.

In the end, Arsenal's medical team appears to be considering Tomiyasu's second knee surgery. The Daily Mail reports "Doctors are reportedly considering surgery to treat Tomiyasu's knee problem. Concerns are growing over Tomiyasu's troubled knee. The procedure requires a long-term rehabilitation program and it is likely that Tomiyasu will be excluded for a long time. A second knee injury will hit Tomiyasu, who has already wasted time at Arsenal due to injury problems", he explained.

Tomiyasu will likely no longer play this season if he undergoes knee surgery. Tomiyasu signed a contract with Arsenal from 2025 to 2026 and is currently receiving an annual salary of 5.2 million pounds (about 9.4 billion won). Tomiyasu is turning into Arsenal's muktu. With knee surgery, it could be difficult even if Arsenal want to sell Tomiyasu this coming summer. This is because it is an operation that adversely affects the player's life.

Tomiyasu's career at Arsenal may be virtually over. Arsenal's recent promising Miles Lewis-Skelly is also growing rapidly, following Wiriyen Timber, Ricardo Calafiori and Ben White. Tomiyasu will have no place at Arsenal when he returns.