Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta admits the Gunners had been following Takehiro Tomiyasu for a long time. ‘He is young and with good experience in Serie A.’
The Japan international joined the Gunners on the deadline day for €20m plus €3m add-ons.
Tottenham had also been linked with the 22-year-old who joined Bologna in a €7m deal from VV Sint-Truiden in 2019.
Spurs offered €20m in June before securing the services of Cristian Romero from Atalanta. They also signed Emerson Royal from Barcelona on the deadline day.
Arteta commented on the Gunners’ transfer campaign with an interview published on the club’s official website.
“They’re players we’ve followed for a long time that we knew could fit into the model we’re trying to implement. We’re pleased.”@m8arteta on our summer signings
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) September 2, 2021
“We followed him for a while. We needed a full back who could be very versatile, can play as a centre back, can play in a back three, Tomi has this capacity,” the Spanish tactician said.
“He is 22 years old but he has some really good experience in Serie A and at international level and with the qualities we are looking for.”
Tomiyasu spent two seasons at Bologna where he played both as a centre-back and as a right-back.
He made his senior Japan debut in October 2018 and has 23 international caps to his name.
The 22-year-old has signed a contract until June 2025 in North London.
