Kevin Campbell has likened Arsenal defender Takehiro Tomiyasu to Lee Dixon and Lauren, as all three players are “tough and relentless”.
The 23-year-old made the move to Arsenal during the summer transfer window from Serie A side Bologna. They paid a fee in the region of £16m to sign him.
Tomiyasu has impressed for the Gunners so far this campaign. He has featured in all but one of their Premier League games since his debut.
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The Gunners currently sit fourth in the table and the right-back has been one of their standout performers.
Campbell has taken time to praise the Tomiyasu. He believes the Japan international is similar to former Arsenal full-backs Dixon and Lauren:
“I think his toughness and his relentless nature is how Lee Dixon used to play and he’s a bit like Lauren, Lauren was tough, he could play and he was tough,” Campbell told the Highbury Squad Youtube channel.
“Tomiyasu has a bit of different spice to him as well, because aerially, he’s dominant.
“We hit him sometimes at goal kicks because he’s aerially dominant. At that back-stick where we’ve had so many problems in the past, we don’t seem to have those problems anymore. I think he’s quite a lot of people’s favourite player.”
“Yeah, that’s one of the reasons that we were so keen to get Tomi in our squad.
“He can play left full-back as well, so he is very comfortable in playing across the back four.
“He can play in a back three and not only his actual skills or his versatility but the type of personality and character that he has, that makes us really excited about the signing we have just done.’’
Arsenal were due to face Liverpool in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final on Thursday evening.
This came had to be postponed though as Jurgen Klopp’s side are contending with a “significant number” of Covid-19 cases.
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