During a press conference last month, Mikel Arteta boldly declared: “We don’t have a player like him”.
He was not, as one might suspect, talking about Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus or Martin Odegaard — but instead Takehiro Tomiyasu.
Arteta’s praise stemmed from the Japan international’s versatility and he has proven to be a ‘Swiss Army knife’ player.
Tomiyasu has played all across the defence this season and excelled on Tuesday night at left-back, as Arsenal beat Sevilla 2-1 to get their Champions League campaign back on track.
“I always say that I’m really confident the moment Tomi has consistency, because it’s going to be a tremendous asset for us,” Gunners boss Arteta said last month.
“He can play in any position in the backline, any formation in the backline — we don’t have a player like him.
“His defending is probably one of the best that I’ve seen in many situations. When Tomi is at his best, we’re going to have a player who is going to be so important for us.”
Arteta’s words have rung true and it has given him a selection headache.
Oleksandr Zinchenko may well come into the side for today's game at home against Sheffield United, due to the fact Arsenal should dominate the ball and will need to unlock a stubborn defence.
But in the future, certainly in his side’s biggest games, it is quite conceivable that Arteta will turn to Tomiyasu. The 24-year-old’s one-on-one defending is arguably the best in the Arsenal squad and it is something that he relishes.
During one moment against Sevilla, Tomiyasu stopped a cross and then celebrated as if he had just scored a goal by throwing his arms into the air.
He has worked hard on his ability in possession and now looks comfortable tucking into midfield, which Zinchenko does so well.
Tomiyasu’s height has also become a valuable weapon going forward, with Arteta making him push exceptionally high in attack. Such a move paid dividends this month, with Tomiyasu playing a pivotal role in Gabriel Martinelli’s winner against Manchester City.
All of this should not be lost on Arsenal, who are tying down the core members of their squad.
Tomiyasu will have a year left on his contract come the summer, although there is the option to extend it by a further 12 months, and the Gunners would be wise to agree fresh terms.
