Arsenal have agreed a £34m deal with Club Brugge for Greek winger Christos Tzolis, Sky Sports News understands. The 24-year-old is the Premier League champions' first outfield signing of the summer and arrives as a direct replacement for Leandro Trossard, who joined Besiktas for £17m.
The transfer is a record for the Belgian Pro League and makes Tzolis the most expensive Greek player in history. It also completes a remarkable turnaround for a forward who flopped during a prior stint in England with Norwich City.
From Norwich Flop to Record Breaker
In 2021, Tzolis became Norwich's record £10m signing but managed just 14 appearances in two injury-hit seasons before leaving quietly. He made his Premier League debut at the Emirates in September 2021, when Arsenal sat bottom of the table without a point under Mikel Arteta. Now he returns as a league champion, having contributed a stunning 51 goals and assists in 52 games last season for Club Brugge.
The Trossard Blueprint
Those close to the player see striking similarities between Tzolis and the man he is replacing.
"He's able to fulfil different roles," Hayk Milkon, Club Brugge's former assistant manager, told Sky Sports. "Coming from the left side – giving him this space to start wide and then find the moments to get more inside – that's where he's at his strongest. If he's assigned to play really wide to get these one-on-ones, he's able to do it. But he's always strongest the closer he is to the goal."
Like Trossard, Tzolis is a winger who can operate as a No. 10. His availability is also exemplary – he missed only two matches during his time in Belgium, mirroring Trossard's robust fitness record at Arsenal.
Temperament is another shared trait. Arteta once called Trossard "a bit of a moaner" out of a fierce desire to win, and Tzolis exhibits what Milkon describes as a "warrior mode."
"He doesn't like to get kicked. Nobody likes it, obviously. But he doesn't. He's targeted very often. You need to stop him somehow. And the opposition were not able to stop him. But when he gets those kicks or when referee decisions are poor for him, then it might get a little bit difficult for him to stay in the game."
That intensity, however, never overshadows his character. Teammates at Club Brugge celebrated their title with a Greek Sirtaki dance led by Tzolis, a testament to his popularity.
What Tzolis Brings to Arsenal
Arsenal are getting a versatile, goal-hungry attacker who is most dangerous cutting inside from the left but can also lead the line. His relentless running and durability – a hallmark of Arteta's system – should help him adapt quickly. With 23 assists last season, he offers creativity to a forward line that already boasts Eberechi Eze.
Key stats (Club Brugge, 2025/26):
- 36 league appearances
- 17 goals
- 23 assists
- 51 total goal contributions in all competitions
For a £34m outlay, Arsenal have secured a player entering his prime and desperate to prove his worth in the Premier League. If he can replicate his Belgian form, the champions may have found another gem to follow in Trossard's footsteps.
