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Takehiro Tomiyasu has confirmed that departing Arsenal came after discussions with the club rather than being a unilateral decision.
The Gunners announced they had mutually agreed to terminate the player's contract earlier this month. Tomiyasu later that same day posted on Instagram for the first time since sharing photos after his latest knee surgery.
The latest update included an almost 200-word caption saying goodbye to Arsenal. A fortnight on, Tomiyasu has given an interview to the long-time Japan national team right-back Atsuto Uchida, who retired in 2020, aged 32, after managing a niggling injury on his surgically repaired right knee for years.
"I just wanted to let you know that I'm doing well today," Tomiyasu said - as quoted by Goal and translated into English from Japanese - after being asked how he was on episode 240 of the DAZN programme, Atsuto Uchida's FOOTBALL TIME.
He later acknowledged, laughing, that "there are a lot of things that I can't say". Tomiyasu, however, did explain the decision to depart Arsenal.
"It wasn't a sudden decision to leave," he clarified. "First of all, I want to make it clear that my contract wasn't terminated unilaterally [by the club], and I didn't unilaterally say 'I'm leaving'.
"We had a proper discussion and came to the conclusion that 'this decision is best for me, for the club, and for everyone, so I'm leaving'. It all ended amicably.
Tomiyasu continued: "I was there for four years, but I only played five minutes in the 2024-25 season, and I spent a whole year in rehabilitation. I was under a lot of stress and anxiety.
"To be honest, I wasn't feeling like I was there anymore, and I was wondering, 'Is this where my future is?'" Uchida then asked whether he wanted a change of environment, to which Tomiyasu replied: "Yes, I was, including a lot of things."
He also added, "After I decided to leave, I said my final goodbyes to the players, coaches, and staff. I went to the locker room or staff room one by one and said, 'I'm leaving.'
"As I said my goodbyes to each and every one of them, I was reminded that I was loved [by them], and that was when I was able to leave. I think that was a good thing.
"The players (teammates) were surprised, too, as I still had time left on my contract and I was injured." Tomiyasu further explained: "From my perspective, it's the best timing, I'll be free, and most importantly, the most positive thing about this decision is that it will allow me to focus on my rehabilitation and on myself."
He acknowledged being "about halfway there" to fully recovering from the injury. It is said that the problem was originally on the inside of his knee.
Tomiyasu also named Aaron Ramsdale as the first player who made an impression on him at the club. "This player is intense," he acknowledged. "He can kick, connect, and stop the ball; he can do it all. I've never seen a goalkeeper at that level."
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