Ajax confirmed the departures of defenders Takehiro Tomiyasu and Oleksandr Zinchenko on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, following the expiration of their short-term contracts.
The Eredivisie club also parted ways with goalkeeper Vitezslav Jaros as part of a squad overhaul after a challenging campaign.
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Tomiyasu's Future in Question
Tomiyasu, 27, joined Ajax on a free transfer in December after his contract with Arsenal was dissolved. He gradually established his value after building up his fitness.
Italian clubs Sassuolo and newly promoted Venezia have already initiated contact to bring the defender back to Serie A, according to transfer journalist Nicolò Schira.
Several English clubs are also monitoring his situation.
Tomiyasu expressed a strong desire to return to England during a press conference in Houston, Texas, following Japan's World Cup elimination by Brazil.
He stated that the Premier League is the highest level and that he wants to place himself in a tough environment.
The defender was highly self-critical about his current physical state, specifically pointing out his inability to stop Gabriel Martinelli's winning goal for Brazil during the tournament.
He felt that in top form he could have handled the situation.
Tomiyasu further elaborated on the long-term impact of his physical struggles, linking his recent international performance directly to his consecutive years of injury difficulties.
He concluded that the consequences of the past two years caught up with him in the most important match.
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