Full-back Takehiro Tomiyasu will miss the remainder of the season after undergoing knee surgery, Arsenal have announced.
The Japan international was forced off just nine minutes into his rare start in the Gunners’ last-16 second-leg match against Sporting last week after he overstretched while defending an attack.
Following assessments, it was revealed that he had suffered a significant injury to his right knee and underwent successful surgery in London on Tuesday.
Tomiyasu’s absence will be a blow to Mikel Arteta, particularly with the Premier League title race still very much alive. With Cedric Soares currently on loan at Fulham, Ben White is now the club’s only recognized right-back.
Any further injuries to Arsenal’s back line would be detrimental at this late stage, but Arteta will now be focusing on protecting White at all costs, with a congested end to the season looming.
The Gunners boss will also be relieved that White was not selected in Gareth Southgate’s latest England squad, which will give him a much-needed rest period. The club will work closely with Tomiyasu to ensure he can join pre-season training ahead of next season.