The 27-year-old Tomiyasu has been without a club since his contract at Arsenal was mutually terminated in July 2025. The Japanese defender struggled with injuries in his time in North London, which saw him play just 84 games, of which just one came all of last season, across all competitions since arriving from Bologna in 2021.
According to several Dutch media outlets, Tomiyasu is now set to join Ajax on a six-month 'prove-it' deal as the Amsterdam club are looking to reinforce their defence amid a disappointing season. The short-term contract and reportedly low wages give Ajax the chance to see how Tomiyasu will hold up after his injury worries in England.
The short deal gives Tomiyasu the opportunity to earn himself a spot in Japan's World Cup squad, as well as a window for the player and club to negotiate a potential longer-term deal.
Tomiyasu sustained a knee injury during Arsenal's preseason tour ahead of the 2024/25 season, after which the Japanese international needed further surgery in February 2025. His last game dates back to October 6th, 2024, when he played six minutes in Arsenal's Premier League meeting with Southampton.
Defensive struggles
The tall full-back has reportedly been on Ajax's radar for a while and will serve as an immediate reinforcement in a leaky defence - the Amsterdam giants have already conceded 36 goals in 20 games across all competitions, a mark they didn't reach last season until March.
By joining Ajax, Tomiyasu will become the second Japanese player in the club's history, following compatriot Ko Itakura, who joined from Borussia Monchengladbach last summer.
Ajax, led by caretaker manager Fred Grim and working to secure a new technical director, are currently 14 points behind Eredivisie leaders PSV and sit at the bottom of the UEFA Champions League table with zero points from their first five games.