Arsenal have signed Greece forward Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge for £34m, the Premier League champions announced on Thursday. The 24-year-old has put pen to paper on a five-year contract, becoming the club’s third permanent signing of the summer after Piero Hincapié and Illan Meslier.
Tzolis arrives as a direct replacement for Leandro Trossard, who left for Besiktas earlier this month. The timing is also a welcome boost for manager Mikel Arteta, who this week learned that defender William Saliba will be sidelined for an “extensive period” with a back problem that curtailed his World Cup.
“Arsenal sign Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge for £34m on a five-year deal.”
The Greece international scored 43 goals and provided 45 assists in 108 appearances for Club Brugge, where he helped the club win the Belgian league title last season. He previously endured a difficult spell at Norwich City – making 30 appearances and scoring three times – before rebuilding his career with loan stints at Twente and Fortuna Düsseldorf.
“Christos naturally operates on the left but is comfortable across the frontline,” said Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta. “He’s an excellent finisher with both feet, thrives in tight spaces, and possesses incredible technical ability. Christos has produced outstanding numbers in terms of goals and assists over the last three seasons, and he’s a player who will raise the technical level of our squad, while bringing positive energy, enthusiasm, and a strong mentality to our team.”
Tzolis, who made his Premier League debut for Norwich in a 1-0 defeat at Arsenal in September 2021, revealed he had a “nice conversation” with Arteta before signing. “We talked about everything – about the club, about myself, about his plans, about me of course, about the team,” he said. “It was only positive things. I’m a direct player, I go for goals or assists. That’s my point of view as an attacker, as a winger.”
The transfer comes 48 hours after Arsenal missed out on Morgan Rogers, who joined Chelsea in a £117m British-record deal – a move that prompted the England forward to call Chelsea “the biggest club in London”. For Tzolis, the opportunity to join the English champions was an easy decision. “I need some time to realise it, I think,” he said. “It’s absolutely amazing to sign for such a big club, the champions of England. I’m very proud to be part of this team for the next season.”