logo
Arsenal part ways with Tomiyasu after injury-ridden season

Arsenal part ways with Tomiyasu after injury-ridden season

Takehiro Tomiyasu suffered multiple knee and calf injuries during his four years in North London. (EPA Images pic)
LONDON : Japan defender Takehiro Tomiyasu is leaving Arsenal by mutual agreement after playing only six minutes last season due to a knee injury, the club said today.
The 26-year-old suffered multiple knee and calf injuries during his four years at the North London club, some of which sidelined him for months.
He remains sidelined since undergoing knee surgery in February.
'Unfortunately, injuries have limited Tomi's time on the pitch in the past two seasons, with the defender making just one substitute appearance last season,' Arsenal said in a statement.
'It was therefore mutually agreed to end Tomi's contract in order for him to start a new chapter in his career.'
The former Bologna player made 65 Premier League appearances for Arsenal, scoring two goals.
Arsenal, who have finished second in the league for the last three seasons, begin their 2025-26 campaign at Manchester United on Aug 17.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Malaysia no longer pushovers, says pundit Richard Scully ahead of CAFA Nations Cup clash with Iran
Malaysia no longer pushovers, says pundit Richard Scully ahead of CAFA Nations Cup clash with Iran

Malay Mail

timean hour ago

  • Malay Mail

Malaysia no longer pushovers, says pundit Richard Scully ahead of CAFA Nations Cup clash with Iran

KUALA LUMPUR, July 7 — Local football observer Datuk Richard Scully says Malaysia may have been drawn in Group B alongside world No. 18 Iran for the Central Asian Football Association (CAFA) Nations Cup 2025 next month, but the Harimau Malaya are no pushovers. He said any opponent would be wise not to underestimate them, as he believes the national squad has undergone a major transformation and is now in the right shape to take on stronger sides. He said Malaysia's recent resurgence has not gone unnoticed, with opponents beginning to take notice, a clear sign that the team is no longer being seen as underdogs. 'It's too early to predict anything, but what's clear is that teams are starting to pay close attention to Malaysia. The Malaysia of old is not the same as the Malaysia of today. 'Now, any team facing us will be on alert. I don't expect there to be big scorelines from either side,' he told Bernama. Scully has urged the Harimau Malaya to step onto the pitch without being weighed down by world rankings, insisting that 'numbers are just numbers' and anything can happen once the whistle blows. He stressed that while a win would be a welcome bonus, a loss should not be seen as a disaster, but rather a chance to identify and address weaknesses ahead of bigger battles to come. Apart from facing heavyweights Iran, Malaysia (ranked 131st) will also take on hosts Tajikistan (104th) and Afghanistan (160th) in Group B of the CAFA Nations Cup. Malaysia will kick off their campaign against Tajikistan on Aug 29, followed by clashes with Iran on Sept 1 and Afghanistan on Sept 4. All matches will be played in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. After the tournament, Malaysia will resume their remaining Group F fixtures in the 2027 Asian Cup Qualifiers, starting with matches against Laos in Vientiane on Oct 9 and in Kuala Lumpur on Oct 14. They will then face Nepal in Kathmandu on Nov 18, before taking on Vietnam away in March next year. Meanwhile, sports analyst Datuk Dr Pekan Ramli cautioned that three straight defeats in the group stage could shake fan confidence in the new-look Harimau Malaya, especially among those still unconvinced by the inclusion of heritage players. 'At the very least, we need to reach the semi-finals for fans to continue feeling proud of this Harimau Malaya side. 'If we suffer heavy losses or crash out early, expectations will dip and it'll give critics of the heritage player concept the opening they've been waiting for to lash out,' he said. He also urged for the consistent inclusion of heritage players throughout the tournament, believing their presence is key to strengthening what he described as one of Malaysia's strongest squads in recent memory. — Bernama

Alcaraz jokes he's done playing Murray after golf loss at Wimbledon
Alcaraz jokes he's done playing Murray after golf loss at Wimbledon

Malay Mail

time2 hours ago

  • Malay Mail

Alcaraz jokes he's done playing Murray after golf loss at Wimbledon

LONDON, July 7 — Carlos Alcaraz joked that he did not want to play Andy Murray again... in any sport after losing to the former world number one on the golf course. The two-time defending Wimbledon champion revealed last week that he and the retired British star were level at 1-1 after two games of golf. Murray tweeted on Saturday: 'We played the deciding match this afternoon. Maybe ask him what happened after the next match.' Alcaraz, who had just beaten Russian 14th seed Andrey Rublev to reach the fourth round at the All England Club on Sunday, pretended he had forgotten his defeat. 'I didn't remember playing any matches yesterday,' joked the 22-year-old during his on-court interview. 'I have to show up. I have to say he beat me. 'We were playing in his home, so it could be really bad for him if I beat him in his home so I let him win once. 'But I lost against him as a player, as a coach, on the golf course, so I'm not going to play against him anymore.' Murray, 38, retired last year after a career in which he won three Grand Slams, including two Wimbledon titles. The two men met twice on the tennis tour, with one win apiece. Murray also helped mastermind a win for Novak Djokovic against Alcaraz when he was coaching the Serb at this year's Australian Open. — AFP

Nurul Azurin, Malaysia's queen of stops
Nurul Azurin, Malaysia's queen of stops

Free Malaysia Today

time2 hours ago

  • Free Malaysia Today

Nurul Azurin, Malaysia's queen of stops

Malaysia may bend, but with Nurul Azurin, they would never break. (Nurul Azurin Instagram pic) PETALING JAYA : If you caught the live-streamed matches of Malaysia's women's Asian Cup 2026 qualifying campaign, you witnessed something special. It was football with heart, moments that made you lean in, cheer out loud, and believe. From gritty tackles to flashes of brilliance, the Malayan Tigress delivered football powered by unity, determination, and a hunger to prove themselves on the Asian stage. While goalkeeper Nurul Azurin Mazlan was the undisputed star between the posts, the Malayan Tigress as a whole rose to the occasion, delivering one of their strongest international performances in recent memory. Those who missed the action didn't just miss thrilling saves. They missed a team, coached by Brazilian Joel Cornelli, that fought with spirit, defended with steel, and played with growing confidence on the continental stage. Some of the national team players celebrating after beating Palestine during the Asian Cup qualifying Group H opener in Tajikistan. (FAM pic) At the heart of it all, Nurul Azurin stood between victory and despair like a lighthouse guiding ships through a storm. The 25-year-old was the anchor of the squad, her gloved hands turning away goals and igniting belief in Malaysia's campaign in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. Though the Tigress finished second in Group H, just shy of qualification for the finals in Australia, their journey was somewhat framed by the brilliance of Nurul Azurin. With cat-like reflexes and nerves of steel, she turned match-defining moments into Malaysian memories. From the opening whistle against Palestine on June 29, Nurul Azurin commanded her penalty area with the poise of a seasoned general. Malaysia, ranked 102nd in the world, may have been favourites on paper against 134th-ranked Palestine, but pressure has a way of ignoring numbers. Nurul Azurin in action against a ruthless North Korea on Saturday. (AFC pic) When a 25th-minute penalty threatened to turn the tide, Dima Alrumhi's shot arrowed toward the bottom corner. But there was Nurul Azurin, springing to her right, swatting the ball away in a moment of sheer defiance. The rebound ballooned high, and in a heartbeat, Nurul Azurin was back on her feet, both shield and sword. Later, when Henrietta Justine rose in stoppage time to nod home the winning goal, it was Nurul Azurin's clean sheet that laid the foundation for Malaysia's 1-0 triumph. Her next test came against hosts Tajikistan, a side that unleashed wave after wave of high crosses and midfield surges. After Nur Fazira Sani's 16th-minute thunderbolt struck the post, the message was clear: this would be a hard-fought battle. But Nurul Azurin stood tall. She cut out dangerous crosses, rushed out to smother through balls, and flung herself full stretch to parry close-range efforts, each move a masterclass in anticipation and bravery. With the game goalless deep into stoppage time, Farahiyah Ridzuan's clinical strike looked like a late twist in a gritty tale. But Tajikistan never found their reply because Nurul Azurin's dominance in the box had already broken their rhythm and belief. Malaysia's 1-0 win kept their perfect record intact, and once again, their 'queen of stops' was the difference. On Saturday, the true test of courage came against North Korea, the world's ninth-ranked team and three-time Asian champions. In a group where the North Koreans had scored 20 goals in just two games, the 6-0 scoreline against Malaysia barely reflected the heroic resistance of Nurul Azurin. Time and again, she produced bold interceptions and sprawling saves. Without her, the margin could have been higher. Each deflection, each punch, each dive was a message: Malaysia may bend, but with Nurul Azurin, they would never break. Her resilience is no coincidence. Since January, Nurul Azurin has been making her mark in Europe, winning the Albanian women's super league with KFF Vllaznia. Malayan Tigress goalkeeper Nurul Azurin, an embodiment of resilience. (FAM pic) In the 2024/25 season, she helped secure the club's 12th league title and qualification for the 2025/26 UEFA women's Champions League qualifiers. In an interview, she described her experience as a baptism by fire, saying that the tempo, aggression, and tactical demands revealed how far the team had come, and how much further they still had to go. Before Albania, Nurul Azurin sharpened her craft with India's Misaka United and Kosovo's KFF Presingu. These stints overseas have broadened her footballing intelligence and emboldened her resolve. Yet her international journey was built on local success. She first made waves winning the 2019 Tun Sharifah Rodziah Cup with Melaka United. Then came personal accolades: Best goalkeeper in India's Karnataka Women's League (2021/22) and at the 2023 Saudi Arabian Football Federation Women's invitational. Each achievement became a stepping stone, a slab in the path that led her to this moment, where a nation's defence rests on her shoulders. Nurul Azurin is more than a goalkeeper. She is the embodiment of resilience, the architect of hope, and Malaysia's undisputed 'queen of stops.'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store