Deal agreed – Star whose contract was terminated by Arsenal joins European royalty | OneFootball

A player Arsenal mutually agreed to part ways with over the summer is primed to join a European giant after a report confirmed a ‘verbal agreement in principle’ has been struck.

While Arsenal didn’t recoup much by the way of substantial fees when offloading players over the summer, there wasn’t a shortage of stars who made way.

One player who left the Gunners via mutual consent was versatile defender, Takehiro Tomiyasu.

The 27-year-old had struggled mightily with injuries throughout his Arsenal tenure and was sidelined after knee surgery at the time.

With Tomiyasu entering the final year of his contract and still several months away from returning to fitness, both parties agreed to part ways amicably.

Since then, Tomiyasu has stepped up his rehabilitation and according to Football London, he’s struck an agreement to join Ajax.

The Dutch powerhouse – who’ve won a record 36 Eredivisie titles and four European Cups/Champions Leagues – have reached a ‘verbal agreement in principle’ with Tomiyasu and his camp.

A short six-month contract that is ‘centred around appearances’ will be signed and the opportunity will give Tomiyasu a shot at working his way back into Japan’s squad for the 2026 World Cup.

It is not currently clear whether Tomiyasu is fit and ready to play right now or whether he’s still weeks or perhaps even a month or so away from being available for selection.

In any case, and as a free agent, Ajax can finalise Tomiyasu’s move right now without having to wait for the winter window to open at the beginning of January.

Ajax require all the help they can get at the moment, with the Amsterdam side floundering in a disappointing fourth place in the Eredivisie this term.

Their Champions League campaign has been nothing short of disastrous, with Ajax losing five from five so far, shipping 16 goals along the way.

The sooner Tomiyasu is up to speed and in the backline, the better.

Tomiyasu would have stayed at Arsenal

While Tomiyasu’s exit from Arsenal was ultimately mutual, the defender did hint at the time he would have preferred to see out the final year of his contract with The Gunners.

He said: “We concluded that, ‘this is the best outcome for me, the club, and everyone involved.’ That’s why I left early — it was a peaceful departure, a mutual closure. I was at Arsenal for four years, but in the 2024–25 season, I only played five minutes. I spent the entire year in rehabilitation.

“During that time, I was under a lot of pressure and uncertainty. Honestly, my heart wasn’t really in it anymore. I started asking myself, ‘Do I really have a future here?’ With all those factors [yes, I was thinking about leaving], I definitely had that thought.

“Once I had decided to leave, I went around saying goodbye to my teammates, coaches, and staff. I walked into the locker room, the staff offices, and told each person, ‘I’m leaving.’

“Through this process, I truly felt again that I was really loved by everyone here. That made me very happy. My teammates were surprised too, since I still had a contract, and I was still recovering from injury.”