'He's loved' - Mikel Arteta makes heartfelt plea to Arsenal star Takehiro Tomiyasu amid Bayern Munich transfer interest

With Thomas Tuchel eager to strengthen his defence, the Japan international has been linked with a move to the Allianz Arena. After moving to Arsenal from Bologna in 2021, Tomiyasu has grown to be a beloved player by the Emirates supporters. Nonetheless, he has not yet made a name for himself in the starting lineup and continues to be Arteta's backup. Naturally, though, the Spaniard appreciates the defender's flexibility and wants him to stay with the team.

In the press conference ahead of Arsenal's clash against Brentford, Arteta said: "I really want him to stay. I value the player a lot. He’s loved and respected by everybody at the club. He’s at the level we need to make an impact on the team. He’s going to be with us."

The North London team is planning to negotiate an extension to keep the Japanese player in their squad beyond this season, despite Bayern's interest in buying the defender. Tomiyasu has one year remaining on his current contract and is in his third season with the Emirates Stadium team. He has the opportunity to sign a new contract with better conditions, and he may even choose to extend it for an additional year.

While there is a chance that Tomiyasu may receive a push up the order in the ranks at Arsenal due to the number of ongoing injuries, it has also been reported that the defender may himself prefer a move to Germany.