Takehiro Tomiyasu says he accepted Arsenal's offer to sign him without hesitation following the Japan defender's transfer on deadline day.
The 22-year-old signed from Bologna for a fee in the region of £17million in the final hours of Tuesday evening after Gunners boss Mikel Arteta identified Tomiyasu as the solution for Arsenal's problems at right back.
Tomiyasu is expected to go straight into the squad for the Premier League match against Norwich after the international break, and he admits that he's delighted to get started with his new teammates.
Additionally, the versatile defender believes that he has a lot more to offer at Arsenal following a series of injury problems in Serie A over the last two years.
"I feel that the team has changed and it is a new start," he said.
"I am happy to join the Premier League stage that I was originally aiming for, and also to join Arsenal, a global big club.''
"I've had more injuries in Italy and I've had muscular injuries in the last two years. I wasn't in good shape, and with that, I couldn't do be at 100%, or I wasn't happy with the performance (in the last few months) at all.
"I hope that this transfer will lead to a positive direction. I have a strong feeling of a new start."
Arteta's recent comments on Tomiyasu's versatility suggests he could move back to the 3-4-3 system that proved successful in the first few months of his reign, as Arsenal went onto win the FA Cup and Community Shield.
When asked about the signing of Tomiyasu Arteta told the club's media:
"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.
"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."
