Ajax officially announced on Tuesday that former Arsenal defender Takehiro Tomiyasu has joined the club on a free transfer. The two sides signed a six-month contract, valid until June 30, 2026.

The official announcement also confirmed that Takehiro Tomiyasu will wear the number 32 jersey at Ajax.

Takehiro Tomiyasu, 27, previously played for Avispa Fukuoka, St. Tréten, and Bologna before transferring to Arsenal in August 2021 for €18.6 million. Due to recurring calf and right knee injuries, he has only made 84 appearances for Arsenal, scoring 2 goals and providing 6 assists.

As of July 2025, Takehiro Tomiyasu had missed a total of 101 matches for Arsenal. Due to his prolonged inability to guarantee attendance, both parties ultimately agreed to terminate his contract early.

Following the signing, Ajax's Director of Football, Marijn Boyk, stated: "Takehiro Tomiyasu has proven himself to be an excellent defender and has accumulated extensive experience in several top leagues. He is also a quick-thinking defender with equal footing in both feet. Over the past few weeks, we have repeatedly reviewed his game footage with the scouting department and coaching staff, and we unanimously agree on his performance."

Regarding the injury concerns raised by the public, Boyk added: "His injury history was an important consideration in our evaluation. He has been actively undergoing rehabilitation training throughout, and the medical team has conducted a comprehensive evaluation of him. Once his work permit is obtained, he will immediately rejoin the team for training."

Before joining Ajax, Takehiro Tomiyasu had been unemployed for nearly six months. However, Boyk remains optimistic: "We believe he can quickly regain his match fitness with his wealth of experience. As for the contract, both sides have reached an ideal cooperation agreement. In short, we expect Tomiyasu's arrival to inject more balance into our relatively young but talented squad in the short term."