{"id":293171,"date":"2023-10-27T05:38:59","date_gmt":"2023-10-27T05:38:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportstoft.com\/?p=293171"},"modified":"2023-10-27T05:38:59","modified_gmt":"2023-10-27T05:38:59","slug":"arteta-learns-arsenal-transfer-priority-as-tomiyasu-hailed-as-world-class","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportstoft.com\/soccer\/arteta-learns-arsenal-transfer-priority-as-tomiyasu-hailed-as-world-class\/","title":{"rendered":"Arteta learns Arsenal transfer priority as Tomiyasu hailed as ‘world class’"},"content":{"rendered":"

Arsenal will be Man City's main title challengers this season | Football Digest<\/h3>\n

Arsenal have a new player to idolise after their 2-1 win over Sevilla in the Champions League, but Mikel Arteta will already know it’s not Gabriel Jesus or Gabriel Martinelli who deserve some recognition for their heroics in Spain. Instead, Takehiro Tomiyasu proved once again he can silence his doubters after producing another stellar performance, which earned him praise from Gunners favourites Ben White and Ian Wright.<\/p>\n

Arteta opted to start the 24-year-old over Oleksandr Zinchenko at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan on a difficult night against the Europa League winners. Tomiyasu, primarily a right-back, showed his versatility with a superb display out of position.<\/p>\n

It was only Tomiyasu\u2019s fourth start in all competitions in 2023-24, but it turned out to be one of his best performances in the Arsenal colours. He was voted Arsenal’s man of the match in a poll put forward by the club’s official account on X, formerly Twitter, and that spoke volumes considering how well Jesus and Martinelli had performed.<\/p>\n

Arsenal icon Wright, 59, speaking on his podcast Wrighty\u2019s House,\u00a0spoke in glowing terms about the Japanese’s impact since winning his place back under Arteta, and claimed his consistent performances are exactly what Arteta needs.<\/p>\n

READ MORE <\/strong> Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta ‘blocked’ Inter deal after refusing to sanction it[GOSSIP] <\/strong><\/p>\n

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\u201cI\u2019m always happy seeing Tomiyasu start because nothing is getting past him,\u201d the former striker said. \u201cAnd in the first-half, he should have hit the target with his chance as well.<\/p>\n

“He\u2019s so reliable, strength, positional awareness. When he gets on the ball, he has no problem getting it forward, passing it and progressing it. It is very rare that you see anyone get past him. He is one of those dependable players. Dependable player. Eight out of 10 every week. Dependable.”<\/p>\n

The \u00a316million signing had to be patient last season after losing him place to White while he was sidelined with injury. But the departure of Kieran Tierney has given him the opportunity to put pressure on Zinchenko for that left-back role, especially now that he has shown a capability to operate in the hybrid role by moving into central positions.<\/p>\n