Arsenal have agreed the transfer of Bologna centre-back Takehiro Tomiyasu for a fee worth €23 million. The Serie A club will receive €20 million upfront, with €3 million in the form of add-ons.
Personal terms have already been agreed between the player and Arsenal, and he will undergo his medical soon. Once the assessment has been cleared, Arsenal will announce the signing of the defender before the day is over.
Tomiyasu also has the talent to play at right-back, which could make him a direct replacement for Hector Bellerin. The Spaniard is expected to end his decade-long tenure at the Emirates and join La Liga club Real Betis after months of speculation about his future.
Tomiyasu has a contract with Bologna until 2024, and Arsenal are getting a good deal by signing him for close to his market value. The player has earned 23 caps for the Japanese national team and was also a part of the Olympics team that participated in the Games this past year.
The Japanese defender had attracted interest from fellow London club Tottenham Hotspur, but they have decided to go with Barcelona’s Emerson Royal instead. As a result, Arsenal got themselves a clear road to the signing of the 22-year-old.
Mikel Arteta has not had the greatest start to the Premier League campaign, losing all of their three games against Brentford, Chelsea and Manchester City. The manager will have to find a way to boost results quickly since the board has shown their support in the form of several new first team signings.
