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Takehiro Tomiyasu makes vow to Arsenal fans after sealing late deadline day move
Tomiyasu became Arsenal's sixth and final signing of the summer transfer window in a £23million move from Bologna.
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New Arsenal signing Takehiro Tomiyasu has made a vow to Gunners supporters after joining the club late on transfer deadline day. The defender’s move to the Emirates Stadium was confirmed 15 minutes before the summer window slammed shut.
He is the sixth Gunners signing of what was a busy summer for the struggling Premier League side, who were by far the biggest spenders in England.
They went on a spending spree, paying nearly £160million for Ben White, Martin Odegaard, Aaron Ramsdale, Albert Sambi Lokonga, Nuno Tavares and Tomiyasu.
It is a window that is set to define the tenure of Mikel Arteta, who has come under increasing pressure in recent weeks.
The Gunners sit bottom of the Premier League table, having failed to win or even score in their opening three games of the campaign.
But despite their spending, there was a glaring gap at right-back in their squad heading into deadline day.
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That hole has now been filled by the arrival of Tomiyasu though, who has impressed in Serie A for Bologna.
He joined the Italian club in the summer of 2019, going on to become a regular in the side in his two seasons at the club.
His impressive performances have also seen him become a fixture in the Japan team, with the 22-year-old part of the country’s squad for the Olympic Games this summer.
Tomiyasu also drew the eye of Arteta, who has long been unhappy with his current options at right-back.
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Hector Bellerin was sent out on loan to Real Betis, while Calum Chambers and Cedric Soares have failed to impress.
That led to a move for Tomiyasu, with the defender joining Arsenal for £23m on a long-term contract.
And in a video message to the Gunners after the deal was confirmed, the Japanese international vowed he would give his all for his new team.
“Hello Arsenal supporters, I’m Tomi from Bologna,” the message that was posted on the Gunners’ social media accounts began.
“I’m so happy to be part of the team. I promise you that I will give everything to contribute to the team. I’m looking forward to seeing you in the stadium.”
Tomiyasu is currently with his national team for their World Cup qualifiers against Oman and China, with Arteta keen to link up with his new signing.
“Takehiro is a strong defender with good experience in Serie A and at international level,” Arteta said.
“He will be an important member of our squad. We look forward to Takehiro joining up with us when he returns from international duty.”