Rewind to September 2021. Norwich City’s record-signing Christos Tzolis arrived at the Emirates to face an Arsenal team bottom of the Premier League table on zero points.
Five years later, after an ill-fated spell at the Canaries and a fast rise in the Belgian Pro League, Greek winger Tzolis now finds himself signing for the Premier League champions in a £34million deal from Club Bruges. It’s a remarkable turnaround for both parties.
The 24-year-old recorded an extraordinary 40 goal contributions (17 goals, 23 assists) in 36 league appearances last season, which landed him on Mikel Arteta’s radar.
It wasn’t an anomaly for Tzolis, either, having arrived in Belgium fresh off a loan spell with Bundesliga 2 side Fortuna Dusseldorf. There he mustered 34 goal contributions in 37 games. His performance in Greece’s 2-1 Nations League victory over England at Wembley in October 2024 also caught the eye.
With Leandro Trossard having joined Besiktas, Tzolis is the like-for-like replacement. The comparisons between the pair are interesting. They both played in the Belgian Pro League, are proficient in front of goal and are pacy, adaptable attackers.
The Greek forward is predominantly a winger like Trossard, but can also play as a No 10. Last summer, for example, Crystal Palace strongly considered Tzolis as a replacement for Eberechi Eze.
Christos Tzolis recorded an extraordinary 40 goal contributions (17 goals, 23 assists) in 36 league appearances last season for Club Bruges
The 24-year-old is predominantly a winger but can also play as a No 10
Hayk Milkon, Club Bruges’ assistant manager until February, previously said: ‘He’s able to fulfil different roles. 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. Whenever he’s more central, you can expect him at any moment to attack the space.’
Another similarity between Tzolis and Trossard is their availability. Trossard was only injured for four matches in three-and-a-half-years at Arsenal, those games coming in his final season in north London. Tzolis has a similar record at Club Bruges, missing just two matches due to injury across two seasons.
The new arrival is two-footed but likes to cut in from the left on to his right foot where he can provide fizzing passes or make inroads to goal. His shooting efficiency, paired with an unpredictability of whether he hugs the touchline or cuts in, can cause havoc.
Goals from their wingers is an area in which the Gunners are aiming to improve. Last season, among Arsenal’s wide attackers, none reached double figures in the Premier League. One man who will be looking over his shoulder is Gabriel Martinelli. The Brazilian scored just one league goal last term. Arsenal’s left-wing spot is up for grabs.
Tzolis will need time to adapt to a new league, though, and therein lies comparisons to another Arsenal forward: Viktor Gyokeres. The Swede started slowly before getting going in the second half of last season to round off the campaign with 21 goals across all competitions. Gyokeres had a failed spell in England with Brighton before moves to Coventry and Sporting Lisbon kickstarted his career.
There is some caution to be had around Tzolis’ output, of course. The Belgium Pro League is the eighth strongest league in the world, according to Opta’s Power Rankings — one place below the Championship.
And what is also clear is that Tzolis has very big boots to fill. Affectionately dubbed ‘Mr Clutch’ by supporters for his habit of striking in crucial moments, Trossard leaves Arsenal as a cult hero who proved great value for his £27m move from Brighton in January 2023.
Tzolis has managed nine goals for Greece across his 34 appearances
He will be charged with filling the void left by Arsenal cult hero Leandro Trossard, who has joined Besiktas in Turkey
Across the 2025 calendar year, Trossard registered more goal contributions than any Arsenal player, with 13 goals and 12 assists. Mikel Merino followed with 13 goals and eight assists, while Declan Rice managed nine goals and 11 assists.
Trossard’s late winner against West Ham in May, a pivotal moment in Arsenal becoming champions, underlines why he became such a trusted figure under Arteta. Such an impact will be hard to replicate at Premier League level for Tzolis.
The impending arrival of the Greek international, who has nine goals in 34 appearances for his country, doesn’t halt Arsenal’s plan to bring in more attacking reinforcements this summer. They retain an interest in Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez. Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers and Paris Saint-Germain’s Bradley Barcola are other potential targets.
The challenge for Tzolis is proving his remarkable numbers in Belgium can translate to England. If he can do that, Arsenal may have found the long-term successor to one of Arteta’s most trusted attackers.
