Crystal Palace officially signed Japan defender Takehiro Tomiyasu on August 7, 2026, after he impressed during a trial period at the club [1, 2]. Tomiyasu, 27, joins the Eagles as their second signing under manager Pierre Sage, following the acquisition of Oscar Mingueza earlier this summer [3, 1, 2].
Tomiyasu arrives as a free agent after leaving Arsenal by mutual agreement in July 2025 and spending the second half of last season with Ajax Amsterdam [3, 1, 2]. He made 84 appearances for Arsenal in all competitions from 2021 to 2025, having joined the London club from Bologna in 2021 [3, 1, 2]. The versatile defender can play as a full-back or centre-back, offering flexibility to Palace’s back line [3].
The signing comes as Crystal Palace look to fill the void left by first-choice centre-back Maxence Lacroix, who departed the club for Chelsea [3]. Chairman Steve Parish praised Tomiyasu, saying, "Takehiro has experience at the highest level of European and international football" and added, "We are delighted to welcome a player of his calibre to the club and believe he will prove to be a great addition to the squad" [3, 1].
Tomiyasu was part of Japan’s squad at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where the team was eliminated by Brazil in the round of 32 [3, 1, 2]. Speaking on his move, Tomiyasu said, "This club is in a good moment, winning three titles in two seasons. Here is where I wanted to be" [3].
Crystal Palace have not disclosed the length of Tomiyasu’s contract [3, 1, 2]. The club will look to integrate him into the squad as they prepare for the upcoming Premier League season.
