Arsenal confirmed back in July that they'd reached an agreement with defender Takehiro Tomiyasu over the mutual termination of his contract
Ryan Taylor
12:30, 09 Dec 2025
Takehiro Tomiyasu
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Takehiro Tomiyasu is close to joining Dutch giants Ajax on a free transfer
Former Arsenal defender Takehiro Tomiyasu has reached a verbal agreement in principle with Dutch giants Ajax over an initial six-month contract.
The Japan international is battling to revive his World Cup dream as he has not played since October 5, 2024 when he came off the bench for the final six minutes of a 3-1 Premier League home victory over Southampton.
Tomiyasu has had wretched luck with injuries, he was first forced to undergo knee surgery back in March 2023.
He then suffered a host of muscular issues including calf and hamstring problems before later undergoing a second knee operation in February.
Just three months later, Arsenal confirmed they'd reached an agreement with Tomiyasu over the mutual termination of his deal.
The no-nonsense defender made just one appearance for the Gunners last season but now he is closing in on a return with crisis-hit Ajax in the Eredivisie, though it's not currently clear when he'll be available for selection.
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The 27-year-old, who can play at centre-back or right-back, is expected to sign a short-team contract centred around appearances.
Interestingly, Japan international team-mate Ko Itakura also plays for Ajax. Not only that but Japan are also set to face the Netherlands in Group F at the 2026 World Cup.
Tomiyasu had hoped to fulfil his Arsenal contract but was forced to negotiate the mutual termination of his deal when it became clear he was facing another substantial spell on the sidelines. He said of his Gunners exit: "We concluded that, ‘this is the best outcome for me, the club, and everyone involved.’ That’s why I left early — it was a peaceful departure, a mutual closure. I was at Arsenal for four years, but in the 2024–25 season, I only played five minutes. I spent the entire year in rehabilitation.
Takehiro Tomiyasu
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Takehiro Tomiyasu left Arsenal last summer due to injury
“During that time, I was under a lot of pressure and uncertainty. Honestly, my heart wasn’t really in it anymore. I started asking myself, ‘Do I really have a future here?’ With all those factors [yes, I was thinking about leaving], I definitely had that thought.
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“Once I had decided to leave, I went around saying goodbye to my teammates, coaches, and staff. I walked into the locker room, the staff offices, and told each person, ‘I’m leaving.’
"Through this process, I truly felt again that I was really loved by everyone here. That made me very happy. My teammates were surprised too, since I still had a contract, and I was still recovering from injury.”
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