Leandro Trossard has left Arsenal for Besiktas in an £15.3m deal, paving the way for the Premier League champions to sign Christos Tzolis for £34m from Club Brugge.
The 31-year-old Belgian forward, who joined Arsenal from Brighton for £21m in January 2023, signed a three-year contract with the Turkish side after being given permission to travel to Istanbul for a medical. The fee will be paid in six equal instalments over three years, with a further one-year option in the deal.
“Arsenal sell Leandro Trossard to Besiktas and agree £34m deal for Christos Tzolis.”
Trossard scored 36 goals and registered 34 assists in 174 appearances for the Gunners, helping Mikel Arteta’s side win last season’s Premier League title. He started in the Champions League final defeat by Paris St-Germain and made 21 league starts. This summer he played in all six of Belgium’s World Cup games, scoring twice as they reached the quarter-finals before losing to Spain.
With Trossard gone, Arsenal have moved quickly for Tzolis. The 24-year-old Greece international, who had a spell at Norwich City as a teenager, is expected to complete his permanent move to the Emirates Stadium in the coming days after agreeing personal terms. Arsenal will pay a flat £34m fee, according to reports, with Tzolis prioritising the move despite interest from other clubs.
Tzolis enjoyed a phenomenal 2025/26 season with Club Brugge, registering 22 goals and 29 assists in 51 appearances, including goals against Atalanta and Atletico Madrid in the Champions League. He has won 34 caps for Greece, scoring nine goals. Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta has been working on the deal after his assistant Maurizio Micheli watched Tzolis play for Greece against Sweden last month.
The move is not expected to affect Arsenal’s pursuit of Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers, who remains their preferred option in the search for a versatile forward. The club also retain a long-term interest in Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez, their priority target, and Paris St-Germain’s Bradley Barcola is viewed as an alternative.
Tzolis becomes Arteta’s third summer signing, following Piero Hincapie’s loan move being made permanent and the arrival of free agent Ilan Meslier. The Spaniard is expected to launch more high-profile moves as he looks to defend the title after ending a 22-year wait.