Takehiro Tomiyasu: Expert verdict on Arsenal axing star after early team news pre-Chelsea
Takehiro Tomiyasu will not start for Arsenal at Chelsea but could feature from the bench.
That is according to former Gunners and Everton striker Kevin Campbell, speaking exclusively to Football Insider about the 23-year-old potentially returning from injury at Stamford Bridge.
Tomiyasu has been sidelined since January with a calf injury.
Speaking to club media after the defeat to Southampton (19 April), Mikel Arteta revealed the right-back is “very, very close” to a return.
Arsenal travel to Chelsea tonight knowing they must win to keep pace with Tottenham in the race for the top four.
When asked by Football Insider‘s Dylan Childs if Tomiyasu could come in for Nuno Tavares tonight, Campbell said: “We are running out of games.
“That is the problem we have. Every game is a final now.
“If Tomiyasu is fit he’ll be on the bench. He won’t start but he has to come on and get some minutes.
“What you don’t want to do is put him in too soon. At the end if the day, there is some huge games coming up and he is a key member of that defence.
“He was brilliant prior to Christmas. We could really do with having him back as soon as possible.”
Tomiyasu has impressed since arriving from Bologna in a near-£20million deal in the summer window.
The Japan international has made 17 appearances across all competitions this season.
In other news, an expert is ‘100 per cent’ sure on Arsenal signing Thomas Partey ally after source’s transfer update.