Arsenal star reveals he's undergone surgery after just six minutes of football

The 26-year-old's time in north London has been blighted by several injures since joining from Bologna in 2021.

A knee knock suffered during the Gunners' pre-season tour of America last summer saw him miss the first six matches of the 2024/25 Premier League season.

His eagerly-awaited comeback came against Southampton on October 5 where he featured in the last six minutes of the club's 3-1 win at the Emirates Stadium.

But he hasn't stepped foot back on the pitch since having suffered a setback immediately after his sole appearance this campaign.

There has been much confusion surrounding the severity of the Japan international's injury and whether he would return during the second half of the campaign.

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But Tomiyasu has now broken his silence regarding his issue, where he has stated he has gone under the knife in an attempt to end to his injury nightmare.

Sharing an image of himself post-surgery on crutches on Instagram, he said: "I've had a surgery on my knee few days ago.

"I've already started my rehab to do what I love the most again.

"It has been the toughest period in my career for sure and it carries on a bit more but I won't give up.

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"Thank you for your support and see you again."

In what is his fourth campaign in England, Tomiyasu has been limited to just 84 appearances in all competitions.

A fan favourite at Arsenal, his versatility has seem him play at both right-back and left-back - despite being a natural centre-half.

But his repeated injuries have meant he has not been able to be relied upon for extended periods.

Since joining Arsenal, he has picked up seven serious injuries, from knee knocks to muscle problems.

It has seen him miss a staggering 82 matches in all competitions.

Boss Mikel Arteta revealed in November he has no idea when he will back to action, as he stated: "Tomiyasu is still hurt and we don't know when he'll be back.

"He's going to be gone for a few more weeks and he's feeling terrible that he can't help the team."

Tomiyasu's surgery means Arsenal will remain without five key first-team players for the foreseeable future.

He is the fourth Arsenal player to undergo surgery in 2025, with Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz undergoing hamstring operations.

Meanwhile Gabriel Jesus looks set to miss the rest of the year having suffered a second ACL injury.

Elsewhere, winger Reiss Nelson - on loan at Fulham - recently had surgery to fix his own hamstring issue.

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