Departing Arsenal star says he finally feels 'free' after agreeing shock exit

Arsenal defender Takehiro Tomiyasu reached a mutual agreement with the club to terminate his contract earlier this month after struggling with injury last season

Takehiro Tomiyasu has opened up on the circumstances behind his early exit from Arsenal after agreeing to leave the club 12 months before the end of his contract.

It was announced earlier this month that the Japan defender, 26, would be leaving the Gunners as a free agent after reaching a mutual agreement with the club to exit his contract early. Tomiyasu had been contracted until the summer of 2026.

Tomiyasu quickly established himself as a key player under Mikel Arteta after joining the club in 2021.

But the right-back has been plagued by injuries during his time as a Gunner and was restricted to just six minutes of action during the 2024-25 campaign.

Explaining the process behind his Arsenal exit, Tomiyasu told DAZN Japan, via The Standard: “It wasn’t a sudden decision to leave. First of all, I want to make it clear that my contract wasn’t terminated unilaterally, and I didn’t unilaterally say: ‘I’m leaving’.

“We had a proper discussion and came to the conclusion that: ‘This decision is best for me, for the club, and for everyone’. So I’m leaving. It all ended amicably.

“From my perspective, it’s the best timing. I’ll be free, and most importantly, the most positive thing about this decision is that it will allow me to focus on my rehabilitation and on myself.

“I was there for four years, but I only played five minutes in the 2024-25 season, and I spent a whole year in rehabilitation. I was under a lot of stress and anxiety. To be honest, I wasn’t feeling like I was there anymore, and I was wondering: ‘Is this where my future is?’”

Tomiyasu is expected to be sidelined until the end of year after undergoing knee surgery back in February. He went on to reveal that the Arsenal dressing room were 'surprised' to learn he would be leaving the club this summer, given his contract status.

He added: “After I decided to leave, I said my final goodbyes to the players, coaches, and staff. I went to the locker room or staff room one by one and said: ‘I’m leaving.’

“As I said my goodbyes to each and every one of them, I was reminded that I was loved, and that was when I was able to leave.

“I think that was a good thing. The players were surprised, too, as I still had time left on my contract and I was injured.”