Arsenal have agreed a deal with Club Brugge for winger Christos Tzolis, with the Greek international set to join the Premier League champions. The fee for the 24-year-old is understood to be £34m, which represents a record for the Belgian Pro League. Tzolis is being signed as a direct replacement for Leandro Trossard, who departed for Besiktas this week in a £17m deal.
Sky Sports News understands that once Tzolis heard of Arsenal’s interest, he only wanted the north London club. Arsenal were one down in their forward line following Trossard’s transfer. This move for Tzolis is independent of Arsenal’s pursuit for Morgan Rogers.
Belgian Record Fee Agreed
The agreed £34m fee makes Christos Tzolis the most expensive departure in Belgian Pro League history. The Greek winger’s desire to join Arsenal was clear after learning of the Premier League champions’ interest. Tzolis arrives following the sale of Leandro Trossard to Besiktas for £17m.
Trossard’s departure meant Arsenal needed to bolster their forward line. The 24-year-old Tzolis, formerly of Norwich City, impressed last season with 17 goals and 23 assists in 36 league appearances.
Tzolis’s Versatile Profile
Christos Tzolis’s profile shows a number of similarities to Leandro Trossard, according to those who know him. He is primarily a winger but also capable of playing as a No 10, much like Trossard. Last summer, Crystal Palace strongly considered Tzolis as a replacement for now-Arsenal star Eberechi Eze.
“He’s able to fulfil different roles,” stated Hayk Milkon, who served as Club Brugge’s assistant manager for Tzolis’s entire time in Belgium until February of this year. Milkon further explained that Tzolis is at his strongest when “coming from the left side – giving him this space to start wide and then find the moments to get more inside.”
While Tzolis is capable of playing wide to engage in one-on-ones, Milkon added that “he’s always strongest the closer he is to the goal.” His former assistant manager noted that “whenever he’s more central, you can expect him at any moment to attack the space.”
Durability and Drive Under Scrutiny
Another area of similarity between Tzolis and Trossard lies in their availability and injury records. Leandro Trossard maintained an exemplary injury record during his tenure at Arsenal, missing only four matches in three-and-a-half-years, all of which occurred in his final season in north London.
Christos Tzolis, meanwhile, exhibited a similar record at Club Brugge. Despite being described as one of the most energetic and intense players on the team, the longest he ever spent on the sidelines at the Belgian club was two matches. Hayk Milkon praised Tzolis’s work ethic, stating: “He’s a guy that works a lot.”
Milkon elaborated on Tzolis’s physical output, observing that “He runs a lot of kilometres in the game, but also at high speeds and his sprint distance.” The former assistant manager highlighted Tzolis’s consistency, noting: “Anyone can do that once in a week. He was doing it every three or four days with the Champions League. And his performances stayed stable.”
A final comparison between the two players concerns their temperament, which stems from a strong desire to win. Mikel Arteta once affectionately referred to Trossard as “a bit of a moaner” at Arsenal, owing to his constant complaining in training and to referees. According to his former coach, one of Tzolis’s big areas of improvement is “Emotional stab.”