Injured Zhongyong! He was 22 years old and was firmly in the Gunners main force. Now he is terminated at the age of 26 and has no ball to play.

If you turn the clock back to the 2021/22 season, the situation at Arsenal is very different from now. It felt like the beginning of a whole new era. Arteta's plan is finally taking shape, and the club seems to be heading in the same direction, and it's all led by a group of exciting, talented young players who are ready to spend the best of their careers at Emirates Stadium. Among them, Japanese defender Kenyo Toyan is undoubtedly one of the most noticed.

On August 31, 2021, 22-year-old Fu'an Jianyang joined Arsenal at the transfer deadline. He came with a very high reputation and was also a relatively cost-effective deal, transferring from Bologna for only 19.8 million pounds. The right-back position has been the problem for the Gunners in the previous few seasons, and Fu'an Jianyang has only one goal - firmly occupying this position.

However, four years have passed, and he only started 36 times in the Premier League, but now he is in a state of no ball to play nearly three months after his contract was terminated by Arsenal. So, what exactly is the problem?

For anyone who pays close attention to Fu'an Jianyang or Arsenal, the answer to this question can be summarized in one word: injury. However, many people have begun to forget what a promising player Fu'an Jianyang was at the Emirates Stadium before the repeated injuries came. In the first season after joining

, Fu'an Jianyang easily adapted to the Premier League. He directly served as the right back and performed well in Arsenal's journey to win seven games in ten games and soaring from 20th to 5th in the league. He started almost every Premier League game, barely missing a minute until injuries began to hit at the end of December.

Initially, he was replaced due to a muscle injury in the game against Leeds United and missed only one game, which seemed to be fine. However, after only one game of his return, he was forced to have a four-month quit due to two different injuries. That season, Fu'an Jianyang became the peak of Arsenal. Since then, he has never played more than 22 Premier League appearances in a single season, and repeated calf and knee injuries have prevented him from staying away from the physical therapy room. In the 2022/23 season, Ben White transformed into a right-back, and Fu'an Jianyang could only wait patiently on the bench for an opportunity. After a major knee surgery, he showed his usual versatility in the following season, playing as left-back in the sprint stage of the 2023/24 season, while Arsenal ended up missing the Premier League title by just two points. But by last season, he almost disappeared from the public eye, and after only 6 minutes of playing, he fell down again due to an injury and underwent a second knee surgery in just a few years.

In July this year, Fu'an Jianyang, who is still recovering from injuries and has only one year left in the contract, reached an agreement with Arsenal. The two sides agreed that it is most appropriate for everyone to part ways. So, this hopeful but ultimately frustrating Emirates' career came to an end. Fu'an Jianyang was "abandoned" in the cold, and he didn't know where to go next.

Previously, media reported that AC Milan has been "focusing" on the free agent and considering bringing him back to Serie A; and La Liga newly promoted Real Oviedo is also interested in taking action. Brighton, the Premier League, also asked Fu'an Jianyang about his injury recovery, hoping to sign the 26-year-old Japanese defender.

It is certain that once the former gunman fully recovers his health, quotes will come one after another. Fu'an Jianyang, who is only 26 years old, still has a lot of time in his career. Perhaps his greatest wish is to make up for the years lost due to injuries, step onto the green field again, and find the best self he used to be.