Arsenal's recent training session may have provided a clue with regard to Mikel Arteta's plans for Takehiro Tomiyasu next season.
The Japan international was brought in as a right-back from Serie A side Bologna in the summer of 2021, but being permanently converted into a left-back has been teased considering he was used in this particular role on a number of occasions throughout the 2022/2023 campaign prior to undergoing knee surgery.
Interestingly during a period where Oleksandr Zinchenko was injured and Kieran Tierney was expected to fill in, Arteta opted for Tomiyasu as a left-back against Liverpool and Leeds United and repeated the trick in the Europa League round of 16 first-leg tie against Sporting CP where the decision was well received among some Gunners supporters - albeit after a brief cameo.
But what could the new season have in store for the 24-year-old? Well, the good news is that he is back in full training after being sidelined since March and therefore is surely in contention to get some minutes under his belt against Nurnberg in the pre-season friendly on Thursday evening.
And his starting position may have been foreshadowed. In Arsenal's 'Inside Training' video which was uploaded on Tuesday morning - which didn't have any footage of Zinchenko - at around the 2.33-minute mark Tomiyasu can be seen operating from the left-hand side as he fires a pass into Reiss Nelson which prompts Arteta to shout: "Yes, Tomiyasu!"
Of course, a permanent role change could be largely dependent on what happens with Tierney this summer as the Scotland international has been tipped to depart at some point during the transfer window after initially falling behind Zinchenko in the left-back pecking order and then being overlooked in favour of Jakub Kiwior in the final two games of the 2022/23 campaign.
Should Tierney leave then one would assume that Arteta and sporting director Edu Gaspar will look to sign a direct replacement, especially considering Zinchenko doesn't have the most reliable injury record. However, in Tomiyasu, there's a simple solution to end up saving millions of pounds.Furthermore, as the Gunners are poised to confirm the signing of Jurrien Timber for an initial £34.2million fee, the Dutchman's ability to operate at right-back as well as a right-sided centre-back means he can rotate with Benjamin White whilst providing cover for William Saliba when the Frenchman needs a rest.
This leaves Tomiyasu to move other to the other flank - although he can still be an option on the right-hand side - as his attitude towards playing anywhere for Arsenal will certainly delight Arteta: "When I was in Japan, I used to play as a number six, I started playing as a full back three or four years ago in Bologna," he said last year.
"But it doesn’t matter where I play. I'm happy to play anywhere on the pitch – as long as I help."
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