Arsenal suffer fresh setback as 26-year-old ruled out for remainder of season after knee surgery: Reports

Arsenal have been dealt with yet another injury blow as defender Takehiro Tomiyasu is reportedly set to miss the remainder of the 2024-25 season after undergoing a knee surgery. The Japan international joins the growing list of long-term absentees in Mikel Arteta's squad, having missed most of the season already.

Versatile defender Tomiyasu posted a picture of himself on Instagram in which he used crutches and was sporting a bandaged right knee. His caption revealed that he had recently undergone surgery and has commenced rehabilitation to get back fit as soon as possible.

A report from ESPN indicates that the former Bologna man will now miss the rest of the season after his surgery. He becomes the third Arsenal player to be ruled out, following Gabriel Jesus (ACL damage) and Kai Havertz (hamstring injury).

Takehiro Tomiyasu has played only six minutes for the Gunners this season, coming off the bench in their Premier League win over Southampton back in October. The Japanese defender, who is capable of playing at both full-back positions and centre-back, had been struggling with a knee problem since the start of the season and only just went through surgery.

Tomiyasu has been an Arsenal player since 2021 but has played just 84 times for the club since joining them. He has been plagued by knee and calf problems in the last three-and-a-half years and will hope to be over his injury problems before his contract expires in 2026.

Gunners boss Arteta will have to rely on Jurrien Timber at right-back and the trio of Riccardo Calafiori, Myles Lewis-Skelly, and Kieran Tierney at left-back. Tomiyasu's absence will be mitigated by the fact that the squad is stacked in the defensive positions, but the Japan international will be missed for his quality.

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Arsenal set sights on French striker as Isak alternative: Reports

Arsenal have set their sights on French youngster Hugo Ekitike as an alternative to Alexander Isak in the summer transfer window, as per multiple reports. The Gunners have been linked with a move for the Eintracht Frankfurt striker, who is enjoying an impressive season in front of goal.

CaughtOffside reports that Arsenal and Chelsea are interested in 22-year-old Ekitike, who has turned heads in Germany. The youngster has scored 12 goals in 21 league appearances for his club, enjoying a fine campaign in front of goal.

The Gunners have Newcastle United gunman Isak as their first-choice target for the summer, but they may be unable to meet his club's asking price. Ekitike will be a cheaper alternative, and the former Paris Saint-Germain man's form has attracted interest from multiple sides.