Takehiro Tomiyasu has been awarded the first prestigious prize in Arsenal shirt after made impressive start to his career in the Premier League.
The Japan international, who joined the north London club from Bologna on deadline day, handed his debut in Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Norwich City.
And despite just two training sessions before Norwich clash, Tomiyasu made impressive display against Canaries and helped his side’s to recorded first clean sheet.
He followed with eye-catching performances in a hard-fought win over Burnley before produced solid display in Arsenal’s 3-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur.
His performances have been so impressive that he was voted Arsenal’s Player of the Month for September.
Meanwhile, Mikel Arteta has encouraged him to keep building on his fantastic start to life in north London, after Arsenal have collected 10 points from a possible 12 with Tomiyasu in the starting XI, also keeping three clean sheets in the process.
Reacting to Tomiyasu’s win, Arteta told the club’s website: ‘I’m very impressed, he has done it in a really natural way.
‘It puts a smile on your face when you look at him, for how he communicates, how he is.
‘It’s not been easy for him, we asked him to come in and play after two days against Norwich, then we went to Burnley, then the north London derby… a lot has happened and I am really happy with him.
‘For me [the Premier League] is the hardest to adapt to, and the hardest to stay at the top. That is the challenge.
‘Now he has shown he has the right qualities, the right mentality and personality to play for this club and in this country, and now he needs to maintain that and keep improving.’
‘On what Tomiyasu is like to manage, Arteta added: ‘A joy. He is so excited, you can see that for him it is a dream to be here.
‘He is doing it in the right manner, with the passion but with the right commitment, and as well with the right amount of self-assurance that he is capable of doing it.’
